Cassidy Hutchinson avoids indictment after DOJ effort to charge her over Jan 6 testimony fails: sources
Federal Grand Jury Declines to Indict Former Trump Aide Cassidy Hutchinson Over Alleged False Statements
In a decision that could shape the trajectory of ongoing investigations into the January 6 Capitol riot, a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. announced on Tuesday that it would not indict Cassidy Hutchinson, a former senior aide to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. The decision came after the Justice Department had sought criminal charges based on statements Hutchinson allegedly gave to a congressional committee in 2022.
Hutchinson, who served as a close aide to Meadows during Donald Trump’s presidency, was a key witness before the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack. In a nationally televised hearing in June 2022, she described what she claimed to have heard from other White House officials about President Trump’s reaction to the protestors storming the Capitol. The testimony included an account of a confrontation inside the presidential limousine after Trump was informed he could not travel to Washington.
The allegations that Hutchinson lied to Congress stem from the committee’s inquiry into Trump’s actions on that day and his broader efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. While her testimony was initially embraced by the committee, it was later disputed by individuals who were present at the events, raising questions about its accuracy.
According to sources familiar with the case, the Justice Department had presented evidence to the grand jury regarding the alleged false statements. The grand jury listened to the evidence and, after deliberation, decided not to move forward with an indictment. The sources said that no final decision had yet been made about whether the investigation would be reopened or whether prosecutors would pursue additional evidence in the future.
“This decision does not establish whether her testimony was truthful or false,” a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital. “It simply reflects the grand jury’s judgment that the evidence presented was not sufficient to support criminal charges.”
Hutchinson has consistently maintained that she stands by the statements she made to Congress. “I stand by my testimony,” she said in a statement released to the press. “I gave the committee everything I knew at the time.”
The decision comes amid a broader wave of investigations targeting former Trump allies and officials. While the grand jury’s ruling is limited to Hutchinson’s case, it may influence how prosecutors assess similar allegations against other witnesses in the January 6 and 2020 election investigations.
The Justice Department has not yet indicated whether it will pursue a new indictment should new evidence emerge. Rep. Barry Loudermilk and Rep. Bennie Thompson, both of whom have been involved in the committee’s work, were also asked for comment, but no response was received at the time of this reporting.
For now, Cassidy Hutchinson remains free, and the federal investigation into her alleged false statements to Congress remains open, though no criminal charges have been filed.