NBC News reports that the witness set to testify at today’s urgent hearing is Cassidy Hutchinson, an assistant to Mark Meadows, Trump’s chief of staff and the man everyone seemed to be texting, and the man caught in the middle of the trial to find a basis for fraud , from Georgian signatures to Italian satellites.
The fact that the identity of today’s surprise and urgent hearing was not leaked yesterday or last night indicates the seriousness and critical nature of the upcoming testimony. Influential insiders on Twitter believed the name would be leaked by early evening. This did not happen, and by the evening the fact that the witness’s identity had not been leaked was taken as an indication of the critical nature of the forthcoming testimony.
According to the NBC News report:
In recorded testimony provided last week, Hutchinson told investigators that a group of GOP congressmen had sought a presidential pardon after the Capitol riot, including Congressmen Matt Gaetz of Florida and Mo Brooks of Alabama…
… The panel unexpectedly announced on Monday that it would hold a hearing on Tuesday to present new evidence and hear testimony, but did not specify who would testify, as at previous hearings.
There was much speculation about the need for the surprise expedited hearing, some responsible for it and others not. The panel did not say why it scheduled the hearing or why it kept the identity of the witness a secret. It can be surmised that the committee didn’t want to give the Republican MAGAs time to craft any sort of countermessage, even a day before they go into the hearing, including possible alibis (since Ms. Hutchinson has previously provided names). There is almost no other explanation for withholding the witness’s name.
Why was the hearing accelerated and planned as a surprise? The committee states that it has learned of new evidence. However, the committee also postponed two hearings until mid-July for the same reason.
Something is different about this particular issue that compels the committee to get the facts public as soon as possible. It could be because Hutchinson is hesitant about testifying live, and the committee fears she will change her mind. Hutchinson could testify about certain people in official positions who could pose a threat to the government because of their past actions and current position. Or it could be because the committee is now working with the DOJ, which needs testimony to support certain charges it plans to file but needs political cover to bolster the legitimacy of the charges. Unless and until the committee publicly announces why it needed the urgent hearing, the above is speculation but consistent with the reasons testimonies are often presented in court and congressional proceedings.
The hearings are covered by this page.
The key witness at today’s surprise hearing, Jan. 6, is Meadows associate Cassidy Hutchinson
She has told the committee that several GOP lawmakers close to Trump have asked his forgiveness after the deadly Capitol riot https://t.co/TRqqohyQTS
— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) June 28, 2022
Jason Miciak believes a day without learning is a day not lived. He is a political writer, columnist, author and lawyer. He is a Canadian-born dual citizen who spent his teens and college days in the Pacific Northwest and has since lived in seven states. Today he enjoys life as a single father to a young girl and writes on the beaches of the Gulf Coast. He loves making his flower pots, cooking, and dabbling in scientific philosophy, religion, and the non-mathematical principles behind quantum mechanics and cosmology. Please do not hesitate to contact us for lectures or other concerns.
