Cassidy Hutchinson, Jan. 6 panel star witness, now cooperating with DOJ probe

Cassidy Hutchinson, an ex-aide to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, is cooperating with the Justice Department’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, according to multiple news reports. 

Sources told ABC News, which first reported the news, that Hutchinson began cooperating following her explosive testimony before the House select committee investigating the Capitol riot.

It was not clear what she has discussed as part of the cooperation, according to ABC and CNN, which also confirmed Hutchinson’s cooperation.

A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment to The Hill regarding the matter. 

Hutchinson offered several revelations during her testimony before the House panel, including that Meadows suspected that Jan. 6 had the potential to take a turn for worse, that Meadows and former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani had both asked for presidential pardons and that former President Trump wanted to go to the Capitol so badly that day that he lunged at his security detail.

Secret Service agents are reportedly prepared to contradict some of her allegations about Trump on Jan. 6, though none have done so publicly.

Hutchinson also said that former White House counsel Pat Cipollone had told her that he did not want Trump to go to the Capitol on Jan. 6, worrying that “we’re going to get charged with every crime imaginable.”

The Justice Department is conducting its own probe into the events surrounding the Capitol attack, and Attorney General Merrick Garland told NBC News in an interview aired Tuesday that the investigation would not be affected by a possible 2024 Trump presidential bid.

“We intend to hold everyone, anyone, who is criminally responsible for the events surrounding Jan. 6 — for any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another — accountable,” he said. “That’s what we do.” 

The Hill has reached out to Hutchinson’s lawyers and the House select committee for comment. 

Updated on July 28 at 10:23 a.m.