Cassidy Hutchinson Investigated by DOJ Amid Legal Battles

Former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson has confirmed she is under criminal investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ), according to recent federal court filings. This disclosure surfaced in a September court order outlining Hutchinson’s challenge to a subpoena from the BBC. The BBC aimed to question her under oath regarding President Donald Trump’s defamation case against them.

In her opposition to the deposition, Hutchinson revealed that the DOJ is probing her, and she indicated her intention to invoke the Fifth Amendment if compelled to testify. Newsweek reached out to Hutchinson’s attorney for comments on this matter.

Scope of the DOJ Investigation

The court document does not specify the focus of the DOJ’s investigation concerning Hutchinson’s activities. Still, an April report by The New York Times noted the investigation stemmed from Hutchinson’s congressional testimony about Trump’s awareness and involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The investigation reportedly began after allegations from a Trump-supporting congressman claiming Hutchinson’s deception during her testimony.

Hutchinson, having served as an aide to Trump’s White House Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, provided detailed testimony to the House committee investigating the January 6 events in 2022. She described Trump’s lack of concern for his armed supporters, reportedly saying, “They’re not here to hurt me.” Additionally, her account included Trump’s attempted takeover of his limousine’s steering wheel, which his driver later contested in separate testimony.

Legal Challenges and Subpoena Quashed

The legal challenges for Hutchinson coincide with an intensified effort from the Trump administration to pursue perceived political opponents via the DOJ, targeting figures such as former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Kuntz dismissed the subpoena by the BBC in the September ruling, recognizing Hutchinson as “presently the subject of a criminal investigation” by the DOJ. The judge cited this investigation as one of the reasons for Hutchinson’s avoidance of providing a deposition, noting that she had contributed over 30 hours of sworn testimony to Congress previously.

Hutchinson’s legal opposition centered on claims that the BBC aimed to delve beyond the limited scope of Trump’s defamation lawsuit, a point echoed by Trump’s defending attorneys. Judge Kuntz acknowledged these concerns, emphasizing the impropriety of converting the lawsuit’s discovery phase into an unrelated inquiry. He indicated that her existing testimonies seemed largely irrelevant to the case’s narrow scope surrounding the BBC documentary’s portrayal of statements by Trump.

The BBC had asserted that Hutchinson’s testimony might illuminate Trump’s perspective and actions on January 6, in defense against allegations from Trump suggesting the documentary misrepresented him as inciting the Capitol unrest. While the judge dismissed the current subpoena, he allowed for the possibility of its revival should new developments arise. A future request would necessitate detailed explanations of any altered circumstances since the ruling.