News Pence tells Trump that Biden's win can't be blocked

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Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday told President Donald Trump that he does not have the authority to block certification of President-elect Joe Biden's win when Congress meets to count electoral votes, sources told CNN.

Trump, who already had turned up the pressure on Pence to steal the election, warned him that it would be politically "damaging" for Pence to refuse to block certification, according to a source familiar with the conversation.

Pence gently informed Trump during the meeting that the power doesn't exist for him to derail the process, the source added.

The vice president went on to tell Trump there are outliers saying that the authority exists, but Pence has been told by the White House Counsel's Office he doesn't have that authority, according to this source who was briefed on the conversation. The meeting at the White House came after Pence met with the Senate parliamentarian earlier this week to go over his role in the proceedings.

In a statement released through his campaign, the President disputed the story.

"The New York Times report regarding comments Vice President Pence supposedly made to me today is fake news. He never said that. The Vice President and I are in total agreement that the Vice President has the power to act," Trump said.

The President is now angry with Pence following their meeting, a source close to the White House said. Trump may "lash out" at his vice president on Wednesday morning during a speech at a rally staged to support the President's attempts to overturn the election, which is taking place near the White House grounds.

"I think he will lash out pretty quickly" at Pence, the source said of Trump's speech. White House officials say Trump will speak at the Ellipse 11 a.m. ET Wednesday, just as Pence is set to preside over the counting of the electoral votes.

Sources told CNN that the vice president is expected to make statements supportive of Trump's efforts to contest the results while baselessly alleging the results are fraudulent.

Pence informed Trump that he can't block Biden's win

Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday told President Donald Trump that he does not have the authority to block certification of President-elect Joe Biden's win when Congress meets to count electoral votes, sources told CNN.

www.cnn.com