My heart broke again today for Mike Pence.

As I watched the impeachment hearings live, like I watched the events of Jan. 6 live, I could not imagine how Mike Pence must have felt.

Never has a good and loyal man been so betrayed, so violated, so endangered by the man to whom he had devoted years of his life and fealty. Never.

Trump knew his rioters had broken into the Capitol, and he tweeted that Mike Pence was a "coward" and had not "done the right thing." He knew that Mike Pence had his family with him. Not once did Trump call his most loyal, most trustworthy vice president to ensure that he and his family were safe, though he could see his rioters chanting "Hang Mike Pence" as they scoured the Capitol searching for him.

Trump did not care if Mike Pence came to physical harm. As the riot quelled, the bodies were removed, and Congress reconvened, Mike Pence was stoic, and heroic.

Congress went back to America's work. Only the craven, the Cruz's, the Scott's, the Hawley's, the Dunn's, the Gaetz's, continued to pursue objections to the election. Betrayed by his president, set upon by the mob, Vice President Pence certified the electoral college count, ensuring the change of power, robbed by Trump of the peacefulness which has made America unique.

On Jan. 6, stunned, betrayed, in mortal jeopardy, the entire nation was Mike Pence. It is family business. rump, the betrayer of the nation, must be convicted if the Republican party is to survive.

Meredith Shaw, Bay Point