Pence denies authoring NYT op-ed, offers to take lie detector test to prove it

US Vice President Mike Pence says he would take a lie detector test “in a heartbeat” to prove that he did not pen the notorious New York Times op-ed that sent Washington, DC into a frenzy.

Pence remained adamant in an interview on Fox News Sunday that he was not the senior government official behind the editorial which claimed there was a “resistance” movement within the Trump administration.

“I would agree to take it in a heartbeat and would submit to any review the administration wanted to do,” Pence said of the possibility of being asked to take a lie detector test.

He added that the person behind the editorial is violating an oath “not to the president, but to the constitution.”

“To have an individual who took that oath literally say that they work every day to frustrate the president advancing the agenda he was elected to advance – is undemocratic. It’s not just deceitful, but it’s really an assault on our democracy. And that person should do the honourable thing, step forward and resign,” he said.

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‘Wasn’t me!': White House officials deny involvement in New York Times 'resistance' piece

The publication of the anonymous op-ed, titled ’I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration,’ unleashed a media hysteria and a flurry of denials from senior officials.

The article claimed that there is a group of “adults” inside the administration working to subvert the president’s “amoral” decisions.

READ MORE: Sen. Warren says Trump may be unfit for office as hysteria over NYT op-ed reaches fever pitch

The article's repeated use of the word "lodestar" - a term favored by Pence - heightened speculation that the vice president could be the mysterious wordsmith. When asked if he thought this was an attempt to frame him, Pence replied that he wouldn’t know, and dismissed the op-ed as a stunt attempting to distract from the “booming economy.”

Trump has branded the publication of the piece as “treasonous” and expressed concerns that the writer could pose a “risk to national security.” He has called on attorney general Jeff Sessions to lead an investigation to identify the author.

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