Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House staffer who worked under former President Donald Trump, is reportedly cooperating with the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) investigation into Trump’s actions and conversations relating to attempts to overturn the 2020 election and the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Hutchinson’s cooperation with the DOJ was first reported on by ABC News, though it’s currently unknown whether she has spoken directly to investigators, provided relevant documents or appeared before the investigation’s grand jury.
Still, her involvement in the inquiry seems to suggest an acceleration of the DOJ’s efforts to gain insight into Trump’s actions and motivations prior to and during the Capitol attack.
The Washington Post reported on Tuesday evening that the Justice Department has been investigating Trump’s involvement in a plot by his campaign team to use fake electors to create confusion throughout the Electoral College certification process. Several emails The New York Times published earlier this week suggest that Trump was involved in the process — with one email noting that he “liked” the aggressive approach his team was taking, though some of his lawyers were worried that it was an illegal attempt to usurp the election results.
Hutchinson previously appeared during the January 6 House select committee’s public hearings, revealing inHer powerful testimonyTrump was aware that some loyalists carried weapons, including guns. Trump was infuriated when those individuals were not allowed to attend his rally in front of the White House, Hutchinson recounted, noting that Trump had said that those were “my people,” and that they were “not here to hurt me.”
At the end of his speech on January 6, Trump instructed his loyalists to go to the Capitol to interrupt the certification of the 2020 election — with full knowledge that many in the crowd were armed.
Hutchinson said that Pat Cipollone, former White House counsel, had expressed concern to Mark Meadows about the mob singing to hang Mike Pence, then-Vice President. Meadows was overseeing the certification process and had refused to accept the scheme to count fake voters. “You heard him, Pat. [Trump] thinks Mike deserves it,” Meadows responded, according to Hutchinson’s account.
Hutchinson stated that Trump was upset that Trump’s Secret Service detail refused him entry to the Capitol with members of the mob. He was then told no and tried to grab control of the vehicle that was returning him to the White House. lunged at another agent who was in the carShe said,
Trump claimed that Hutchinson was not his friend after her testimony, but he quickly joined a smear operation against her. Trump loyalists circulated a story claiming that Bobby Engel and Tony Ornato were the two agents she mentioned in her recollection. were willing to testify against what she said. Engel and Ornato have both defended themselves since then. refused to testify to the committee.
Engel and Ornato both deeply love Trump. Ornato has lied in the past to protect Trump’s reputation, including saying that police didn’t clear protesters in front of the White House in order for Trump to hold a photo op in front of a nearby church.
Meanwhile, Hutchinson’s testimony has been corroborated by Both Cipollone former D.C. Metro police Sgt. Mark Robinson, who recalled hearing the same details as Hutchinson regarding Trump’s anger.
