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The Justice Department has reportedly directed its civil rights division to investigate former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who testified against President Donald Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
The investigation appears to focus in part on accusations of Hutchinson lying to Congress, The New York Times reported Tuesday, citing four people familiar with the matter.
Hutchinson had served as an aide to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows during Trump’s first term.
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The decision to investigate her now appears to fall in line with Trump’s effort to seek retribution against his political adversaries.
Pam Bondi, before she was removed as attorney general, directed a review of Hutchinson in recent weeks in an attempt to appease Trump amid complaints that she and others weren’t doing enough, the Times reported, citing two people briefed on the effort.
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During Hutchinson’s explosive 2022 testimony as part of a House investigation into the insurrection a year prior, Hutchinson said Trump knew his supporters were armed with weapons when he directed them to the U.S. Capitol.
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“I heard the president say something to the effect of, ‘I don’t f-ing care that they have weapons,’” she said. “‘They’re not here to hurt me. Take the f-ing mags [metal detectors] away. Let my people in. They can march to the Capitol from here.’”
