Marc Short, Pence’s former chief of staff, has been contacted about providing information by known source

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Short did not respond, the source said, adding that executives are also seeking information from Chris Hodgson, Pence’s former head of legislative affairs, whom House executives believe was also with Pence that day.

House managers unexpectedly asked the Senate Saturday morning to allow them to bring forward witnesses in the impeachment process of former President Donald Trump, which centered on the threat to Pence during the riot. The Senate and trial attorneys instead agreed hours later to include a home republican’s statement in the trial report, which would bring the trial to a final vote later on Saturday.

A former Pence staffer tells CNN that then-national security adviser Robert O’Brien was traveling on Jan. 6. His then deputy, Matt Pottinger, and General Keith Kellogg, Pence’s national security adviser, were both in the White House on the day of the rally and the riot. Kellogg confirmed to CNN that he was in the Oval Office with Trump and the president’s children as the riot raged, forcing Pence to flee the Senate Chamber.

During the riot, Kellogg was in contact with Pence through the vice president’s staff, who communicated back with the White House and got the information to Kellogg, who was with Trump.

“Kellogg was Pence’s national security adviser, so of course they knew exactly what the circumstance was,” said the former Pence executive.

Pottinger resigned after the riot. Kellogg is known for being fiercely loyal to Trump.

On Friday, Trump’s attorney Michael van der Veen said that “at no point” was Trump aware that the vice president was in danger. But freshman Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, told reporters this week that he told Trump on Jan. 6 that Pence had just been chased away from the rioters by the U.S. Secret Service.

“I said, ‘Mr. President, hey, they just got the vice president out, I have to go,'” Tuberville told reporters.

Another source close to Pence said Trump’s legal team was not telling the truth when Van der Veen said “at no point” did the then president know that Pence was in danger that day. Asked if van der Veen was lying, the source said: “Yes.”

Former Pence aides are still raging over Trump’s actions during the riot, claiming he never checked the vice president because he was rushed out of danger by his intelligence agency.

Pence has remained silent during the Senate impeachment trial.

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