An ex-aide to Trump White House spoke Tuesday in explosive firsthand testimony about Trump’s behavior on the day and the events leading up.
Cassidy Hutchinson was the White House Chief Of Staff Mark Meadows’ principal aide. She testified under oath that Trump was volatile and angry. She said that Trump was known for throwing dishes and would sometimes grab the steering wheel of the presidential limousine to get to the Capitol with the rioters.
Hutchinson stated that Trump and Meadows knew about the possibility of violence before Jan. 6. The names of violent white supremacist group who showed up to the Capitol on Jan. 6 were being discussed in the White House by Rudy Giuliani. Trump knew that some of those who showed up to his speech Jan 6 had guns and was furious at the fact that magnetometers were being used to stop them. When the insurrection began, Meadows appeared to be unable or unwillingly reactive while Trump did not care
Meadows stated that he didn’t want to do any, Pat, as Hutchinson was telling Meadows to press Trump to end the violence.
Cipollone replied: “Mark, you need to do something or your blood will be on your effing hands.”
There were many other accounts that raised eyebrows similar to the one that was revealed in the hearing. In announcing the hearing, the committee stated that new information had been discovered.
These are five key takeaways from the hearing
1. Although we’ve all heard about Trump’s temperament throughout his life, this is the best description of it during Trump’s tenure as president.
Trump stated that he could be so president that everyone would be bored during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Hutchinson depicted a volatile man, far from the American expectations of what their presidents should be like. Here are some excerpts:
She claimed that Trump took the wheel of the presidential limousine, grabbed the “clavicles”, and drove the car. Those involved did not dispute this account.
Trump was “irate” that the Secret Service had said they couldn’t secure the area surrounding the Capitol. Trump had to be returned to the White House.
Trump declared, “I’m the effing President.” “Take me to the Capitol now.”
The agent declined.
Trump was known for his talent in throwing dishes. Hutchinson recalls going to the presidential dining room Dec. 1, 2020 after Bill Barr, in an interview, said that there was no evidence for widespread fraud in the election.
Hutchinson discovered ketchup on the wall and a broken plate on the floor. Barr’s interview was met with “extreme anger” by the president. Hutchinson claimed that Trump had placed his lunch on the wall. Hutchinson grabbed his towel and helped staff clean up the wall.
Hutchinson stated that Trump was known to throw dishes and flip the tablecloth in the dining area so the contents of the table were broken or lost throughout her tenure at Meadows.
2. The committee is trying to determine intent and premeditation.
This is a hard threshold to cross, but the committee is intentionally and deliberately laying the foundations for intent and premeditation. It was evident at Tuesday’s hearing:
Meadows was informed by intelligence that Jan. 6 could be very violent. Trump shared this information with him. Hutchinson said that Meadows did not react to or seem surprised by any of the violence and was unperturbed at the event.
Meadows was also present, via phone aEUR”, but he wanted to attend in person aEUR”, for a briefing and discussion with Roger Stone (retired Gen. Michael Flynn) in the “War Room” that they set up in the Willard Hotel on Jan. 5.
Flynn and Stone were closely involved in the “Stop the Steal” movement. Pictures of Stone and Flynn with white supremacist militia serving as his bodyguards in Jan. 6 are available.
Flynn was linked to the QAnon conspiracy. He pleaded Fifth, the right to not incriminate yourself, multiple times before the Jan. 6, committee. This included when he was asked if he believed peaceful transfer of power to the United States.
Trump was aware of the violence in the crowd and knew that they were armed. He didn’t want them to take their weapons away, and didn’t feel threatened.
Hutchinson reports that Trump stated, “I don’t care if they effing have arms.” “They are not here to harm me. Let them in, and take the magazines away. Trump said they could march to Capitol Hill afterwards.
He was instead more concerned about the crowd not looking as large as he wanted in photos and was encouraging them to visit the Capitol after his speech.
Trump refused to stop violence and Hutchinson quotes Meadows as saying that Trump believed Vice President Mike Pence should be hanged.
Meadows stated that Trump doesn’t want anything, per Hutchinson. These are his people.
Hutchinson claimed that she heard Meadows tell Cipollone about the violence. He was telling Meadows urgently, and that they were chanting to hang Pence. He believes he is entitled to it. He doesn’t believe they are doing anything wrong.”
Although there isn’t any evidence to suggest that Trump intended for supporters to storm the Capitol, there are plenty of breadcrumbs.
3. The White House lawyer was concerned about Trump’s legal exposure.
Cippolone was worried that Trump and his supporters would push hard for permission to go to Capitol with him, as many White House aides testified. He also was concerned that others at the White House might be charged with crimes if Trump went.
When Trump wanted to visit the Capitol, Meadows and Hutchinson were sent a message: Make sure it doesn’t happen.
Cippolone stated, per Hutchinson, “We will be charged with every crime possible if that happens.”
She pointed out that Cippolone claimed it would appear like Trump incited a riot. There could be charges of obstruction of Congress or conspiracy to defraud America for blocking the counting electoral votes.
On Tuesday, the committee revealed that potential crimes were not only committed in the past. Vice Chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), warned about potential witness tampering towards the end of the hearing.
4. Meadows and Giuliani are now included in the list of people who have sought pardons.
Hutchinson, who testified Tuesday to legal exposure, said that Meadows, her boss, and Giuliani requested pardons but were denied them.
There were approximately half a dozen Republican lawmakers who were also named in the hearing as asking for pardons. Again, as with the Republican members of Congress, we don’t know why they asked for pardons aEUR.” It is unclear if they believed that they had done anything illegal, or if they just thought that a Democratic administration would target their family.
Meadows spoke with Stone and Flynn, as well as Trump. Tuesday’s identification of Giuliani as someone who mentioned the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys in the corridors to the West Wing was Tuesday.
Many people were concerned about legal exposure. But the question remains, what legal consequences will these hearings have legally.
The Jan. 6 Committee is not a law enforcement agency. It’s also not clear from an investigative perspective what’s going on at the Justice Department or FBI in relation to Jan. 6.
5. These hearings are largely ignored by Republicans.
Hutchinson is Republican. These hearings featured almost all Republicans as witnesses, including White House staff, lawyers, campaign aides, and state election officials.
These were Trump supporters who worked for Trump’s White House to win his reelection or the support of others who voted for Trump.
With so much drama surrounding Trump, it’s difficult to predict what will happen to his political career.
However, Republican viewers are not currently tuning in to the primary source of evidence.
Last week, a CBS/YouGov poll found that nearly seven out of 10 Democrats were following the hearings somewhat or a lot. However, only 25% of Republicans and half of independents are doing so.
Half of the respondents believed Trump tried to keep his office by illegal means. Over eight out of 10 Democrats, 51% of independents and more than half of Democrats believed so, while only 13% of Republicans agreed.
While 80% of Democrats believe that the Jan.6 committee should recommend Trump’s indictment, 44% of independents and 8% of Republicans feel the same.
When you are thousands of miles away, it is difficult to hear a tree falling in a forest.
