An ex-White House staffer called a surprise hearing to reveal details about the days leading to and the moments of the attack on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6.
Cassidy Hutchinson was once an aide of former White House chief-of-staff Mark Meadows. She told the committee that Trump knew some protesters at Ellipse were armed and urged them to march to Washington. She said she didn’t want the Capitol riot to continue and that Rudy Giuliani, a Trump lawyer, had sought pardons for Meadows.
Trump did not pardon any of his advisers.
Hutchinson showed a West Wing in which some staff were very concerned about violence at the Capitol on that day aEUR”, while others like Trump and Meadows were not.
Trump responded to Hutchinson’s testimony throughout the hearing by calling it “fake”, labeling Hutchinson “hardly” known and calling him “bad news” in posts on the social media site Truth, which he controls and owns.
After announcing the hearing on Monday, the committee gave less than one day notice to “present recently obtained evidence” and “to receive witness testimony”. They also stated that there would not be any additional hearings until July. Because of the urgency and the important pieces of information Hutchinson had shared with the Democrat led committee over the course 11 months, it was expected that her testimony would be recorded from four interviews she gave to the committee.
The committee dialed in a little to the days prior to the riot.
Hutchinson, in previously recorded and live testimony, recalled how she felt first concerned about the Ellipse rally on Jan. 2. Giuliani told Hutchinson that Jan. 6 would prove to be a “great” day.
Giuliani said to her that Trump and other presidents would travel to the Capitol where Trump would be “powerful.”
Hutchinson asked Meadows about the conversation. He replied, “There’s lots going on, Cass. But I don’t know, it might get real, really bad on Jan. 6′,” she said. This indicated that those who had worked closely with Trump did not just anticipate the attack on the Capitol but also planned for it.
She said, “When I heard Rudy’s take about the 6th and Marks’ response, that was my first memory of feeling scared and nervous about the future.”
Hutchinson discussed, in previously recorded video interviews how Trump’s former director for intelligence John Ratcliff did not agree with the administration regarding trying to overturn the election. He also described the White House’s handling during the post-election period.
In video testimony, she stated that she heard “Proud Boys”, “Oath Keepers” more frequently in the days leading to Jan. 6. There were intelligence reports that warned of violence. Some reports listed events like “Fight for Trump”, which described the “need of flooding” the Capitol and “show America and the senators, and representatives inside voting that they won’t stand for electoral fraud!”
Capitol Police advised that the Proud Boys, along with other extremist groups, were planning to arrive at Washington on January 6.
According to the report, “Unlike other post-election protests,” the pro-Trump supporters’ targets are not necessarily counter-protesters like they were before, but Congress itself, according to the committee.
Hutchinson was warned by Pat Cipollone, an ex-White House counsel, not to go to the Capitol Jan. 6.
“He told me that we must make sure this doesn’t happen. He said that this would be a legal terrible idea for us. She told the panel she then encouraged him to keep relaying it to Mr. Meadows.
Cipollone warned Cassidy on Jan. 6 that she would not go up to the Capitol. She said, “We’re going to be charged with every crime possible if we make this movement happen.” Cipollone stated that she had been discussing the possibility of being charged with defrauding the electoral roll, obstruction of justice or Congress and inciting violence.
According to a Senate Judiciary Committee Report, Cipollone was a key lawyer in Trump’s Senate impeachment defense. He was also among Trump aides who opposed a plan to press the Justice Department to reverse the 2020 election results. Republican Liz Cheney (vice chair of the Jan. 6 committee) has asked for his participation in the blockbuster public hearings.
Hutchinson claimed that she heard Trump say something to her at the White House Jan. 6 rally.
“When we were on the off-stage announce tent I was… in close proximity to a conversation when I heard the president saying something like, ‘You know what, I don’t effing care they have weapons. They don’t want to harm me. You can take the magneticometers [efficient] away. Let my people in. They can march to Capitol from here,” Hutchinson stated in videotaped testimony.
Trump spoke about walking to Capitol where he had previously suggested he might give speech or enter the House chamber.
Trump stated that he would attend the Capitol on the day of the rally, and Secret Service staff and National Security Council staff discussed “clearing an avenue,” according to the committee.
Trump became angry when he learned that there were no security assets, and that he would have the White House to return. Hutchinson wasn’t in the car but heard the story from others. She said that no one corrected the record.
Hutchinson testified, “I am the effing President, take me to the Capitol now,” Hutchinson said.
She testified that Trump did not want to do anything to stop the rioters storming the Capitol.
Hutchinson stated that Cipollone entered the West Wing “barreling down” the hallway and then told Meadows: “The Rioters have gotten into Capitol, Mark. We must now see the president.
Meadows replied that Trump “doesn’t want to do any thing.”
Meadows was then informed by Cipollone that she stated: “Something must be done or somebody will die, and this will be on your effing hands.”
Trump spoke to Meadows, Cipollone and about the “Hang Mike Pence” chants at the Capitol as the rioters became more violent and rowdier.
“I recall Pat saying something like, “Mark, we must do more.” Hutchinson stated that they are literally asking for the vice president “effing hung”.
“And Mark replied something along the lines of, “You heard him Pat. He believes Mike is deserving of it. She said that he doesn’t believe they’re doing any wrong.
Hutchinson stated that Cipollone said, “This is effing insane. We must do more. ”
Cheney stated that while many witnesses, including many Republicans, have been present before the committee, this has not been true for every witness.
She stated that “we have evidence of one particular practise that raises significant concern”.
Cheney stated that the committee will ask witnesses connected to Trump’s administration or campaign whether they have been contacted or influenced by their testimony by former colleagues. Witness tampering has been a problem.
Cheney stated that witnesses lying in testimony is a serious concern and the committee is currently “considering our next steps.”
The committee presented its case against Trump in five hearings. It was the core of the conspiracy to fraudulently elect Trump. This ultimately led to the Jan. 6 deadly uprising. Witnesses were able to give details about how Trump knew he had lost, but pushed for the victory of the Justice Department, state officials and voters.
