1:00 pm
The committee and witness arrive to room.
1:02 Chaiman Thompson has opened the meeting. The witness is seated.
The mission of the committee is entered into the record today. The Select Committee has a massive amounts of evidence to the investigation. There is some difficulty getting all the information, but the witnesses today and in the past are courageous to bring information to the committee.
Vice Chairwoman Cheney reviewed those that have given testimony. She states the witness today, Ms. Cassidy Hutchinson (click here), has important information as an assistant to Vice President Pence. She knew a great deal about the activities of the Trump White House. Future hearings will clarify the information from Ms. Hutchinson today.
1:08 Ms. Cassidy Hutchinson is introduced by Chairman Thompson and she is sweared in.
She has served in sensitive government jobs. She was a special assistant to the President. Her day was fluid as there was no strick agenda on any given day. She was also responsible for security to Mr. Meadows and the president. She became a trusted and important person to Mark Meadows. She handled whatever the Chief of Staff Meadows needed for the day. She infers she was carrying out the president's requests through Mr. Meadows.
A map of the West Wing of the White House. Her desk was between the Oval Office and others. There is a short distance from the Oval Office and her office. It takes a few seconds to walk to the Oval Office from her office.
Vice Chairwoman Cheney states Ms. Hutchinson was able to understand the planning for the insurrection of January 6th. Giuliani states to her after a meeting in the Oval Office, "You must be excited about January 6th." She spoke to Mr. Meadows after the that interaction with Giuliani and Mr. Meadows stated he was aware of "things might get real, real bad on January 6th."
When hearing Giuliani and Meadows response Ms. Hutchinson became scared for what might be transpiring on January 6th and the planning for January 6th.
December 2020, Mr. Radcliff was nominated by Trump to oversee US Intelligence. Mr. Radcliff felt the insurrection of January 6th was not something the White House should be involved in. It would be bad for the president's legacy. Director Radcliff stated things could get out of hand.
Mrs. Hutchinson states the post election period was filiing complaints and moving toward an obstruction of the placement of Joe Biden in the presidency. "Occupy federal buildings and invading the capital building," by Mr. Donoghue. "Patriots must be at the Capitol Building to prevent Biden from office." The White Supremacists entered conversations in the White House the closer it got to January 6th. "Congress itself is the target on the January 6th."
January 4th call the national security advisor Robert O'Brien wanted to speak to Mark Meadows to talk to him about the anticipated danger on the 6th. Tony Ornado was also someone Mr. O'Brien wanted to talk to because he was the most responsible for security of White House staff and he was the conducit between the White House and the Secret Service.
"..we had info reports stating there could be violence on the 6th..."
Wshington, DC police arrested armed persons with weapons on the evening of the 5th.
Mags (magnatomitors) screened people that had weapons of a variety was allowed in the meeting on the elipse. Near the elipse were people with AR-15s and glock style pistols. They were outside the Mags. Men carrying AR-15s at 14th and Independence Ave at 0800 on the 6th and at the 1100 hour of January 6th.
Meeting with Tony Ornado and Mark Meadow at 1000 on the 6th revealed the fact the White House knew the variety of weapons including deadly weapons were in the crowd/mob.
She remembers Mark Meadows not verbalizing acknowledgement of the dangers. Mr. Ornado states he made Donald John Trump aware of the weapons in the mob. Mr. Meadows did not act on the concerns of Mr. Ornado.
1;31 Texts messages ORM. The president was furious because he wanted the arena of the elipse maxed in size to allow all those attending in the arena. She was in the tent area behind the stage. Trump was concerned about the camera view to provide a view of a very numerous attendees. Trump was furious about the people with weapons being left out of the arena and demanded the Mags be removed. "The armed people were not there to hurt him."
The attendees of the arena with weapons did not want them confiscated if they went through the Mags. Trump wanted the Mags removed. He stated it twice. Donald John Trump was aware the people in the arena at the Elipse with or without weapons would be marching to the Capitol. There were some persons wearing body armor.
The mob walked to the Capitol after Trump's direction to do so. Security on the scene made the assessment there was not enough security at the Capitol to contain the mob. It was becoming clear to those staffing that day, including the Secret Service, that the violence was overwhelming the Capitol. The police were overwhelmed and it was being discussed. Mark Meadows was talking secretly to someone on the phone. Ms. Hutchinson was not allowed to hear what Meadows was saying in the Control Car. The door was slammed shut to Ms. Hutchinson twice. At one point Mr. Meadows asked how much longer was Trump's speech at the elipse.
The violence before Trump's instructions to march to the Capitol occurred because the White Supremacists were at the US Capitol already and by 10 AM. Those plans were made in a car garage the night before at the very least. So, Trump's speech to instruct the mob at the Elipse was simply more people to assist with the coup of the Joint Convened Congress.
Scheduled Movement is on the official schedule to be known to the staff and Secret Service as well as the public. That is set days before in anticipation of security in place.
OTR is less planned and does not have to be known to the public/press.
January 3rd Cipilloni briefly stated "We need to make sure this doesn't happen...." We would have legal complications if the insurrection went forward. Ciplloni stated, "Please don't let the movement happen." Because of charges of potentially obstructing justice and defrauding the electoral count. Cipolloni was worried it would be viewed as inciting a riot.
Nick Luna stated he wanted to speak at the Capitol. Max Miller stated the president would be driving to the Capitol. Trump brought up the subject. Mr. Lima states he was aware of the desire of the president to march or accompany attendees to the Capitol.
NSC staff believed that MOGUL (the president) was going to the Capitol and was looking for the best possible route. The day of the insurrection the NSC was aware of the calls by Capitol Police asking for help. McCarthy called Ms. Hutchinson explained the president just said he was marching to the Capitol. McCarthy states figure out the movement of the president because he was not going to the Capitol. Mr. Ornado was made aware.
Scheduled movement was not clear about Trump's arrival to the Capitol. Mr. Hutchinson was not aware of Trump's plans on January 6th once reaching the Capitol. A speech possibly at the Capitol and/or entering the Joint Session during the Electoral Vote Count.
She returned to the White House and Mr. Ornado asked her to his office. Bobby Engle was the chief officer in the Trump detail. Trump entered The Beast and was told he was not going to the Capitol. Trump became irrate and demanded to go to the Capitol. He was told they would be going back to the West Wing and Trump became physical to disable the driver and redirect the travel of the car to the Capitol. The facts were not disputed to Ms. Hutchinson.
Kayleigh McEnery knew of Trump's whereabouts.
In a brusque statement, (click here) McEnany claimed that “there is only one word for anyone who suggests I was ever a White House employee: liar.”
The transmission of the January 6th committee meeting is being interriupted on MSNBC by claimed discontinuance of the signal. North State Communications in North Carolina.
Ms. Hutchinson states she witnessed Donald John Trump throwing china and food when he was ill tempered. Bill Barr states when he offered to resign Donald John Trump slammed the desk in anger.
2:01 pm Committee taking a break for 10 minutes.
Using my phone is a better idea.
Television looks better. I think there are many people watching this and the signal has to be boosted from time to time.
2:15 pm Committee is back and Vice Chairman Cheney began with an introduction of Mr. Stone and General Flynn and their pledging. Flynn was pardoned and Stone's sentence was commuted.
January 5th Mark Meadows called Stone and Flynn on the 5th. Mr. Hutchinson is unaware of the contents of the conversation. The Willard Hotel was called the War Room. Meadows was discouraged to go to the Willard Hotel that evening. Giuliani and his associates were not trustworthy to Ms. Hutchinson. Mark Meadows did not go to the Willard Hotel but dialed into the meeting.
"Was the violence on January 6th was justified morally or legally? Does General Flynn believe in the peaceful transfer of power. Flynn asks, "The Fifth" to all questions.
2 to 2:05 pm The "rioters" were getting closer to the Capitol. Mark Meadows was in his office. Ms. Hutchinson asked Meadows if he was watching the crowd on the television. Meadows states he saw the events on television but the president wanted to be alone at that moment. Neither Meadows or Trump expressed concern or a need to end the march as they were closer in proximity of the Capitol.
Cipolloni barrelling down the hallway and asked for Mark Meadows. He started to shake his head and opened the door to Meadows office. Meadows states the President does not want to do anything about the violence. Cipolloni stated there was grave concern for the violence. Trump was doing nothing and not discussing it with his staff.
2:15pm a tweet went out. It might had been 2:14 pm on the 6th. The conversations in the Oval Office dining room was about the hang Mike Pence chants. A couple of minutes later Cipolloni stated that Mark Meadows needed to do something more. The president states to Meadows the mob was doing nothing wrong. "Their" is the rioters at the Capitol.
Trump defends the insurgents about the chant of hanging Mike Pence.
2:24 pm - Trump tweet - The Vice President does not have the courage to do what needs to be done. Ms. Hutchinson states to the best of my ability and as a staff felt personally sad, disappointed, disgusted and frustrated. She believes the insurrection was unpatriotic. "The Capitol Building was being defaced for a lie." She feels she has not recovered from the emotions she had that day. Basiscally she was highly conflicted that day. PTSD?
The "Mike Pence didn't have the courage" was a warning to some of the staff and there were resignations. DeVos there is no misunderstanding the impact of Trump and Chow stated she was deeply troubled in a way that she cannot set it aside.
Three camps that day in the White House:
l. working to get him to take action
2. a more neutral group - advisors toeing the line and knew Trump didn't want to take action
3. deflect and blame - blame antifa as the mob is not their people
White House Council Office wanted a strong statement to cause the "rioters" to stop and leave the Capitol.
3:00 PM written on the Chief fo Staff note card a potential statement for Trump - illegal phrase and it was disregarded and never issued
Ivanka wanted Trump to send people home. She wanted Trump to tell the insurgents to go home peacefully.
Laura Ingraham wrote to Trump. Did she or any of her associates go on the air to condem the violence? I didn't think so.
Laura O'Donnell stated Leader McCarthy believed it was Un-American and he condems the violence. Disappointed and sad, this is not who we are...this has to stop now. I conveyed to the president what needs to do and asked him to do that. (televisions "hot" 24/7")
Republican Senator on video told Trump to end the violence.
4:17 pm - Trump calls for peace and expresses affirming statement to his affection for them. Trump never condemned the attack.
January 6th evening
3:31 pm Hannity asked Mark Meadows to have Trump ask the insurgents to leave the Capitol.
Wow, the staff formulated a defeat of Trump's directives and having Vice President in charge of the country. Impeachment and 25th Amendment is real and people will quit.
The Cabinet Secretaries was discussing the 25th Amendment and Ms. Hutchinson was aware and reported it to Mark Meadows.
Pat Filbin wrote a speech for Trump on January 7th to address the events of the 6th. Filbin and Cipilloni were rejected by Donald John Trump. Calling the insurgents violent and prosecuting them. Trump didn't believe the insurrectionists were not wrong but Pence was wrong that day. Trump stated he would like to pardon the insurgents.
Pat Philbin (click here) is based in the firm’s new Washington office. In almost thirty years of practice, including service in senior roles in the federal government, Mr. Philbin has gained deep experience in a broad range of matters from litigating disputes for Fortune 100 companies, to responding to congressional investigations, to crisis management involving legal issues that make front-page news stories. In addition to handling critical litigation matters, Mr. Philbin will draw on his extensive experience both in and out of government to counsel clients confronted with complex legal issues that present challenges on several fronts and may require interacting with the legislative branch and executive agencies as well as seeking solutions in court. In his varied experience as a litigator, he has presented argument in myriad state, federal, and tribal trial courts, in eight of the thirteen federal courts of appeals, before the International Court of Justice at The Hague, and before the United States Senate sitting as a Court of Impeachment.
Mr. Philbin spent over fifteen years as a litigation partner at a major international law firm where he litigated matters at both the trial and appellate levels for Fortune 100 clients....
Mark Meadows encouraged the speech to include pardoning the insurgents. Giulianli wanted a presidential pardon as did Mark Meadows in relation to the insurrection.
2:50 pm Vice Chairwoman's closing statement. She states the country is in debt to Ms. Hutchinson. I second that. Both ladier are very brave.
A practice that raised significant concern if witnesses were contacted to influence their statements to the committee.
Being a team player is important and Trump reads transcripts. THOSE ARE DIRECT THREAT TO FEDERAL WITNESSES. It sounds like racketering.
2:54 Chairman Thompson states regardless of poor memories of some witnesses, due to people like Ms. Hutchinson the truth will be known.
2:55 pm Adjorned.
continued....
