By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – Trump’s ex-chief of staff Marc Short claimed that Trump got bad advice from snake oil salesmen who said Vice President Mike Pence was competent to reverse the outcome of the 2020 election.

Short stated that the president was surrounded by bad advisors, who were basically “snake oil salesmen” and gave him random and innovative ideas about what the vice-president could do. Short spoke on “Meet the Press” Sunday on NBC.

Short’s remarks came just two days after Pence made a speech in support of Trump to the conservative Federalist Society. Pence said that Trump had misunderstood him when he suggested the vice-president has the ability to reverse an election.

Short stated that he believes Joe Biden was the elected president of the United States. “The truth is that not enough substantial fraud was presented to have overthrown any of these states’ elections,” Short stated.

Short, who was there with Pence Jan. 6, 2021 when Trump supporters stormed Capitol to try to overturn election results, appeared recently before the House Select Committee, which is investigating the incident, to answer questions.

One rioter shouted: “Hang Mike Pence!” and one now-convicted https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-seeks-four-years-prison-capitol-rioter-qanon-shaman-2021-11-17 Trump supporter known as the “QAnon Shaman” left the vice president a note that read: “It’s only a matter of time, justice is coming.”

After Trump’s unsuccessful legal challenge to stop the panel from viewing his records, last week the National Archives declared that it would turn over Pence’s files to the National Archives.

Short refused to discuss his Sunday testimony. He stated that he was only complying with the subpoena.

But he questioned whether Pence would appear before the committee in order to testify. He told NBC that it would be “a pretty unusual step”.

Short stated, “It is quite different to subpoena an ex-vice president to discuss private conversations he held with the president.” Short said, “It hasn’t happened before.”

This committee will investigate whether Trump’s circle was involved in the plot to attack the Capitol. They are also looking into Trump’s steps to stay in power.

According to media reports, Trump investigated whether it was possible for the U.S. government to seize voting machine records.

Reuters confirmed that Trump discussed the subject with William Barr, the former Attorney General, in November 2020. According to one source familiar with the matter, Trump told Barr that his legal team had informed him that the Justice Department was in control of its voting machines and it wasn’t sitting still.

Barr immediately stifled the idea, stating that the department did not have such power.

Short said on Sunday that he has not heard of Trump’s interest in seizing voting devices.