Former Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday defended the Republican National Committee’s characterization of the U.S. Capitol riot as “legitimate political discourse,” arguing the phrase has been misunderstood and was not, in fact, referring to the Donald Trump supporters who called for him to be hanged.Pence attempted the defense after a speech at Stanford University, in response to an audience member who asked for his thoughts on the RNC censuring Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) and Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). The two Republicans sit on a House select committee that’s investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol, for which their party formally censured them earlier this month.“I think [the RNC] made a very clear statement after the fact that said we were talking about what’s happening in Washington today with the Jan. 6 committee,” Pence said.“They maintained, and I believe them, they were not talking about people that engaged in violence against persons or property that day, that they were speaking about a whole range of people that have been set upon by this committee.“And I believe them, they’re good people. And I believe that’s what they meant.”Notably, the text of the censure itself makes no such distinction as it accuses the two Republicans of “participating in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse.”Pence also labeled Jan. 6, 2021, as “a tragic day” in his response.About 140 police officers were injured when the mob stormed the Capitol that day, and, to date, more than 740 people have been arrested in conjunction with the riot Trump incited to disrupt a congressional session to certify Joe Biden’s Electoral College win.Pence’s Stanford event was his first high-profile appearance since he spoke before a meeting of the conservative Federalist Society earlier this month, where he firmly rebuked Trump’s scheme to overturn the 2020 election and remain in power despite losing.Trump responded to the Federalist Society speech by calling Pence an “automatic conveyor belt for Old Crow,” meaning Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and claiming, without evidence, that “I was right and everyone knows it.”