Washington — Two sources familiar with the matter inform CBS News that Pat Cipollone (White House counsel) has agreed to appear before the House select panel investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
After Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide, testified that Cipollone was strongly against Trump’s attempts to travel to Capitol on Jan. 6, the panel issued a subpoena to Cipollone. Others have also testified that Cipollone was opposed to Trump’s attempts to reverse the results of the 2020 elections. He has previously given an informal interview to the committee.
Hutchinson testified Cipollone stated that a trip to Capitol would pose “serious legal issues” and she urged her to work multiple times to ensure such a trip did not happen.
Cassidy, please make sure that we don’t climb up to the Capitol. Keep in touch. Hutchinson recalls Cipollone telling Hutchinson that she was going to be charged with every crime possible.
Hutchinson also recalled an exchange between White House chief-of-staff Mark Meadows and Cipollone during the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol. Hutchinson stated that Meadows was urged by Cipollone to talk to the president. She said that Cipollone had told Meadows that “something must be done” or people would die.
Last week, the chairman of the committee and vice-chair Liz Cheney announced the subpoena. They said that the committee had “revealed evidence that Mr. Cipollone repeatedly raised concerns legal and otherwise about President Trump’s activities on January 6th 2017 and the days preceding.” They stated that the committee “needs to hear him on record, just as other ex-White House counsels did in other congressional investigations.”
Adam Schiff, Democratic Representative, said Sunday that the panel was “following additional leads” following Hutchinson’s bombshell testimony last Wednesday.