Happening now breaking news Mike Pence publicly and directly defies Donald Trump. He just

declared that the former president was wrong to say that as vice president he had a right to overturn

the 2020 presidential election. We're getting new reaction to this bombshell and

what it could mean for the GOP and the January 6th investigation.

Also tonight, Russia and China team up

for a show of unity against the West.

Presidents Putin and Chi meeting ahead of the Beijing Olympics to send a message about the

standoff over Ukraine and attorney Michael Avenotti is found guilty of

stealing from Stormy Daniels while representing her against Donald Trump.

We're going to break down his conviction and the prison sentence he's now facing.

We want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and around the world.

I'm Wolf Litzer.

You're in the situation room. This is CNN breaking news.

And we begin with the breaking news on former Vice President Mike Pence publicly and directly rejecting

Donald Trump's election lie.

Let's go straight to our senior legal affairs correspondent Paula.

Paula, we have not heard Pence criticizes former boss like this before.

And that's right, Wolf.

Pence rebuked the former president in the strongest terms yet, saying Trump was wrong about

Pence's authority to overturn the election on January 6th.

His remarks come 13 months after the insurrection, which he once again called a dark day

in the history of the U.S. Capitol, and then he called out Trump's big lie.

...