House Republicans release report seeking to undermine Jan. 6 committee and star witness

House Republicans release report seeking to undermine Jan. 6 committee and star witness

In a comprehensive report unveiled Monday by a House committee probing the events of Jan. 6, Republicans assert that four White House staffers failed to support key aspects of witness Cassidy Hutchinson's dramatic narrative regarding former President Donald Trump's actions on that day.

The 81-page report from the House Administration Committee’s oversight subcommittee, led by Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., challenges Hutchinson's sworn testimony, obtained by NBC News prior to its public release. According to the report, none of the White House employees corroborated Hutchinson’s sensational claim that Trump lunged for the presidential SUV's steering wheel. However, some witnesses did provide insights into the President’s demeanor following his speech at the Ellipse.

Hutchinson, a significant figure in the final days of the Trump administration, testified before the Jan. 6 panel, alleging that Trump attempted to seize control of the vehicle and engaged in a physical altercation with his lead Secret Service agent after being denied entry to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

While the GOP report acknowledges one White House employee describing Trump as "irate" after his speech, Republicans contest the plausibility that other staffers would have missed Hutchinson's purported account relayed by Tony Ornato on Jan. 6.

Since reclaiming the majority in the House, Republicans have sought to challenge the Jan. 6 committee's investigation and its implications for Trump's political future. Discrediting Hutchinson, a pivotal witness in the committee's inquiry into Trump's actions, has been a primary objective for GOP members.

House Republicans release report seeking to undermine Jan. 6 committee and star witness

Hutchinson, whose narrative is also detailed in her book, maintains the veracity of her statements through her attorney, William H. Jordan, who emphasized her commitment to truthfulness despite external pressures.

The Jan. 6 committee, led by then-Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and then-Vice Chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., has argued that Trump's actions constitute a threat to democratic norms and the peaceful transfer of power.

In response to Loudermilk's report, Thompson criticized it as "dishonest," reaffirming the committee's conclusion that Trump was determined to join the mob that stormed the Capitol.

Republicans, however, accuse the Jan. 6 panel of selectively emphasizing Hutchinson's testimony while overlooking contradictory statements from other witnesses.

The GOP report cites transcripts of committee interviews, highlighting instances where witnesses refute Hutchinson's claims, including the Secret Service agent who drove Trump's SUV.

Despite Hutchinson's evolving testimony, Republicans contend that the Jan. 6 committee proceeded with hearings based on incomplete or unverified information.

Hutchinson's legal counsel has explained the evolution of her testimony, attributing initial discrepancies to pressure exerted during her previous legal representation, which she later rectified with more detailed accounts.