WASHINGTON — The GOP-controlled House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack and the special committee investigating Donald Trump’s efforts to subvert the 2020 election sent a letter to the panel’s star witness, Cassidy Hutchinson, on Wednesday, asking her to turn over numerous keyed communications. January 6 figures, as well as those related to his book deal.
In letterAs first obtained by NBC News, House Administration Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rep. R-Ga. Barry Loudermilk, former Rep. of Hutchinson this month. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., Jan. 6 vice-chairs of the panel and a number of senior Trump White House officials. Among them are former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows; former White House communications director Alyssa Farah Griffin; former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Anthony Ornato; former White House senior adviser Eric Herschmann; and former White House adviser Pat Cipollone.
Additionally, “potential publishing or book deals or related compensation” from Loudermilk Hutchinson, as well as post-White House work-related communications; the 25th amendment, which covers the impeachment of the president; and asked for the itinerary for his trip. Florida’s Gulf Coast in early 2021.
Last fall Hutchinson a best selling book About the events of January 6, “Enough”.
Loudermilk wrote that the request for documents and other communications is necessary because the select panel was created Jan. 6 by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. — “They failed to properly archive their records, including summaries or transcripts of up to 900 interviews, more than a terabyte of digital data and more than 100 deleted or encrypted documents.”
“The Subcommittee has no choice but to repeat much of the Select Committee’s work in order to understand its findings,” Loudermilk said.
Trump’s faces multiple federal criminal charges In the run-up to Jan. 6 and for his role in trying to nullify the 2020 election, the Capitol and lawmakers who endorsed Joe Biden’s victory came under attack from thousands of his supporters.
The Republicans of the House of Representatives, led by Loudermilk, the events of January 6 and investigation and recovery of findings Trump is a member of the special committee as he tries to retake the White House in November. Part of that effort was aimed at discrediting Hutchison, who served as a top aide to Meadows in the final days of the Trump administration.
Loudermilk said in the letter that after reviewing documents Hutchinson had previously submitted to his subcommittee, his panel said some of the documents were “not archived by the Select Committee.” These include communications between Hutchinson and former White House staffers Ben Williamson and Stefan Passantino; Susan Wiles, Trump’s senior political adviser; journalist Jake Sherman; Kash Patel, former Chief of Staff, Ministry of Defence; and former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe.
Hutchinson’s attorney, William H. Jordan, did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment. In response to other document requests, Jordan cited Loudermilk’s statement earlier this year as a “pressure campaign” to “silence” a potential witness in the criminal trials of Trump, who faces multiple criminal charges for interfering with the former president. He is trying to stay in power after the 2020 elections and election defeat.
“Let me be clear: Since Ms. Hutchinson has changed her advice, she has told and will continue to tell the truth,” Jordan wrote to Loudermilk in January. The committee, Mrs. Hutchinson, and many other witnesses bravely stepped forward. However, he is now questioning himself about your and your Subcommittee testimony and the issues that may be the subject of the ongoing criminal proceedings against Mr. Trump.
“Ms. Hutchinson will not succumb to a campaign of pressure from those who want to silence her and influence her testimony, even if it is carried out under the guise of ‘oversight,'” Jordan continued.
During a January 6, 2022 hearing, Hutchinson was surprised when the committee’s star witness testified under oath that she heard Trump get behind the wheel of the president’s SUV and get into a physical altercation with his leading secret. service agent after being told he would not be able to travel to the Capitol to join supporters after speaking at a rally on the Ellipse on January 6, 2021.
But in March, Loudermilk’s panel announced 81 page report That, Republicans said, indicates that four other White House staff members did not corroborate Hutchinson’s dramatic account of Trump’s actions that day.