Key questions Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony on January 6

For two hours, Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House assistant, on Tuesday outlined a devastating report of former President Donald J. Trump’s actions and state of mind on January 6, 2021 and in the days leading up to it.

Her testimony to the House Select Committee and a national television audience raised a series of questions that will surely be the focus of ongoing investigation by the committee, federal prosecutors and others who have tried to persuade Mr. Trump’s attempt to reverse his election loss and keep working out. to power.

Here are some of the key issues raised by her testimony.

Me. Hutchinson told the panel moments before Mr. Trump went on stage to deliver his speech at the Ellipse on the morning of January 6, he was informed that people in the crowd were armed with a variety of weapons.

Through her account, he responded by insisting that safety measures be put in place so that his supporters could fill the area around the stage. And she testified that Mr. Trump said he is not in danger because the crowd supported him and that the people there could continue to march to the Capitol.

Legal experts said the evidence provided more evidence to support a possible criminal prosecution, as it suggested that Mr. Trump was aware of the potential for violence, but continued to urge his supporters to go to the Capitol. During the speech, Mr. Trump urged the crowd to “fight like hell” and march to where Congress certifies the election college results – even with the promise that he would join them.

The Department of Justice has not said anything explicit about any investigative focus on Mr. Trump does not. But lawyers have pointed to a number of possible charges against him, including obstructing Congress, conspiracy and incitement.

For months, the Department of Justice has been documenting in court documents how rioters charged in the attack claimed to be Mr. Trump’s orders followed when they stormed the Capitol and broke through. Me. Hutchinson’s testimony may include Mr. Put Trump in a conspiratorial relationship with members of the mob, lawyers said, suggesting he pushed them into action, even though he was aware they posed an immediate threat.

How the Department of Justice operates is perhaps the biggest question of all.

No piece from me. Hutchinson’s testimony electrified the trial room as did her detailed description of a story she said she was told about Mr. Trump who demanded to be taken to the Capitol in his armored vehicle when his speech at the Ellipse ended.

Me. Hutchinson recalls that Anthony Ornato, a deputy chief of staff of the White House, told that after Mr. Trump’s security details told him he could not go to the Capitol, “jumped” the president to the steering wheel and then hit or grabbed him. principal agent, Robert Engel. Mr. Trump was not known in the armored limousine as “the Beast”, as Ms. Hutchinson implied, but in an SUV in which presidents sometimes drive in.

Secret Service officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said both Mr. Angel and Mr. Ornato will dispute that Mr. Trump tried to grab the wheel of the car or that Mr. Angel was hit. They said the two men would not dispute that Mr. Trump did not want to be driven to the Capitol as the furious pro-Trump protesters, some of them armed, were heading in that direction and Congress convened to confirm that he had lost the election and that Joseph R. Biden Jr. . would be the next president.

Both mr. Angel and Mr. Ornato appeared before the committee privately. It is not clear when they will appear again to answer questions about Ms Hutchinson’s testimony. It is also unclear when the committee first heard the story about Mr. Trump’s actions in the vehicle of Ms. Hutchinson heard.

Ms Hutchinson made it clear in her public testimony that she had no direct knowledge of the incident, and it remains unclear what, if anything, the committee did to substantiate it. Tog, mr. Trump’s allies now point to it as a misstep by the committee and use it to undermine the credibility of her testimony.

For months, the committee suggested that Mr. Trump or those close to him may have tried to influence potential witnesses. Its members, for example, suggested that Mr. Trump may have influenced the refusal of Representative Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader of the House, to cooperate with the investigation.

On Tuesday, Representative Liz Cheney, Republican of Wyoming and the vice president, showed what she said are two examples of unnamed people who met with Mr. Trump is associated trying to influence witnesses. One witness was told to “protect” certain individuals to “remain in good grace in Trump World.” In the other example, a witness was encouraged to remain “loyal”.

“Most people know that trying to influence witnesses to testify falsely presents very serious concerns,” she said. Cheney said. “We will discuss these issues as a committee and carefully consider our next steps.”

It is not clear whether the committee referred the incidents to the Department of Justice for investigation or possible prosecution. According to Punchbowl News, Ms Hutchinson was one of the people who received such a warning. Her lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Trump and his advisers have come under scrutiny in previous situations for allegedly trying to influence witnesses. In 2017, a lawyer for Mr. Trump, in an investigation into whether his 2016 campaign with Russian officials conspired to shake the prospect of pardon to two people under investigation, Michael T. Flynn and Paul Manafort. And in 2018, Mr. Trump’s public statements related to Michael D. Cohen, his former personal prosecutor investigated by federal prosecutors, were seen as possible acts of obstruction of justice.

One of the biggest issues is what exactly Mr. Trump did for the 187 minutes of the attack and what exactly the White House did to combat it. According to me. Hutchinson was the answer: not much.

On the day of the attack, Mr. Trump rejected efforts by his assistants and family members, including his daughter Ivanka, to issue a statement saying the mob should stand back. Instead, I posted on Twitter in which I mentioned Mr. Pence attacked.

“Mark, we need to do something more,” she said. Hutchinson said she heard White House attorney Pat Cipollone tell Mark Meadows, the chief of staff, as he rushed into her office after Mr. Trump’s supporters began entering the Capitol. “They are literally asking for the vice president to be hanged.”

“You heard him, Pat,” she said. Meadows responded, referring to Mr. Trump. “He thinks Mike deserves it. He does not think they are doing anything wrong. “

Given the interests, it’s not surprising that especially Trump allies are trying to get holes in me. Hutchinson’s testimony to undermine her credibility. The allegations by unnamed secret service officials that her version of what was in Mr. Trump’s vehicle happened, disputed, provided one way for Mr. Trump’s supporters to raise questions about her credibility.

Her relative youth – she is 26 years old – believes in cunning and intelligence, her former colleagues said. One former colleague, Sarah Matthews, who was a deputy press secretary, spoke to Ms. Hutchinson stood and praised her for her bravery.

But another former colleague disputed another part of her testimony. Eric Herschmann, a lawyer who worked in the White House and testified privately before the committee, said in a statement that he was the author of a note that Ms. Hutchinson testified she wrote by hand. The note suggested language for Mr. Trump to use to ward off the mob storming the Capitol.

The note was written on the letterhead of the “Chief of Staff” and read: “Anyone who has entered the Capitol without proper authority must leave immediately.” Me. Hutchinson testified that it was her handwriting and that Mr. Herschmann proposed amendments.

However, a spokesman for Mr. Herschmann said: “The handwritten note that Cassidy Hutchinson testified was written by her, was in fact written by Eric Herschmann on January 6, 2021.” Others familiar with the existence of the note said that Mr. Herschmann months ago as its author was identified.

A person familiar with what happened said while Mr. Meadows and Mr. Trump was in the small dining room of the Oval Office, Mr. Herschmann stepped in and said they should issue a statement “immediately”, and said in Mr. Meadows’ office close by to grab a note card. He returned and wrote out a message while reading aloud, saying the rioters were “illegal” at the Capitol. “How do you find out it’s illegal?” the mr. Meadows asked. Mr. Herschmann responded by crossing out that word.

A spokesman for the committee said the panel understood that there was conflicting evidence about who wrote the note, but lawmakers believe Ms. Hutchinson was sincere, and that “what is ultimately important is that both White House officials believed the president should have given his order immediately. Supporters to leave the Capitol building. The note commemorated it. But Mr. Trump then did not take that action. “

That two people claim to have written the same note captures the difficulty of determining an accurate picture around the events of January 6, but will also contribute to questions about me. Hutchinson’s memories.

Alan Feuer reporting contributed.