Thread by @AmoneyResists

Here we go…(Jan 6th hearing #6)
#January6thCommitteeHearings

Chairman Thompson: “The Committee has obtained new information dealing with what was going on in the White House on Jan. 6 and in the days prior. Specific, detailed information about what the former President and his top aides were doing and saying in those critical hours.”

.@RepLizCheney emphasizes how many Republicans have testified in these public hearings. Hutchinson, a Republican, was the principal aide to Trump's Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows.

Chairman Thompson has sworn in Ms. Hutchinson. He begins by showing photographs of Ms. Hutchinson with various members of Trump’s staff and reviews her work with other prominent Republicans including senator @tedcruz. He asks her to describe her role in Trump’s administration.

She says her days were very variable in terms of what she would be expected to do. However she states that her position as aide to Mark Meadows required her to be in constant contact with him as well as other members of Trump’s staff and GOP members of Congress.

Chairman Thompson shows the layout of the West Wing illustrating the close proximity of her office to both the Chief of Staff (Meadows) and the Oval Office. She says this is an accurate representation of where her office was located.

Vice Chair Cheney asks her when the first time she heard about the events that were being planned for January 6th. She said she had heard about general plans from various groups for riots at the Capitol but hadn’t heard anything concrete about exactly what was going to happen.

Hutchinson says that on Jan 2, Rudy told her about plans for Trump to go to the Capitol on Jan 6. Meadows told her, “Things might get real, real bad on Jan. 6.”Hutchinson says “that was the first moment I remember feeling scared and nervous for what could happen on January 6th.”

Taped depositions are shown in which Hutchinson describes a Dec 2020 convo with former DNI Ratcliffe about 1/6. “He expressed that he was concerned that it could spiral out of control and eventually be dangerous.” she says.

Vice Chair Cheney says the Committee has learned that people who willingly entered the enclosed area for Trump's Jan. 6th speech were screened. They had weapons, including: pepper sprays, knives or blades, brass knuckles, tasers, body armor, gas masks, AR-15s, and more (!!!)

Trump was furious about the assault weapon-wielding crowd outside the Capitol because he thought it was too small & wanted the area to be maxed out. “I don’t care that they have weapons! They’re not going to hurt me. Take the fucking MAGs (metal detectors) away!” Trump said (!)

He didn’t care that they had weapons. He was just mad there weren’t more of them. This is the same crowd HE SENT TO THE CAPITOL. He was directing a full-on, deadly, heavily armed mob to attack the Capitol of the United States of America to “fight for him and their country!”

Cheney is now calling out Meadows for lying in his book about Trump ‘speaking metaphorically’ when he said “I’ll be there with you” (to his rioters at the rally down the street from the Capitol). Cheney says they will show Trump in fact did attempt to ‘be there with them.’

Ms. Hutchinson spoke with Pat Cipollone about this possibility a few days earlier at which point he said “This is a terrible idea. We cannot allow this to happen.” She said Cipollone was concerned that their presence at the Capitol would expose them to infinite criminal liability

Hutchinson said around 2pm on Jan 6th she could see the rioters getting closer. Meadows was on his phone--AGAIN--and she said "Are you watching?" He said yes and that Trump wanted to be alone at that time.

After the rioters got to the Capitol she said she saw Cipollone “barrelling” to Meadows's office. She said Pat said “The rioters have gotten to the Capitol, we need to see Trump now.” Meadows: “He doesn't want to do anything, Pat. He doesn’t think they’re doing anything wrong.”

Cheney says they will show now and in further hearings that Trump refused to say anything to get the rioters at the Capitol to stop. His advisors, family members, and even some Republican members of Congress including Kevin McCarthy tried relentlessly to get Trump to do this.

When he finally put out a statement (after the siege had raged for over 3 hours and had failed) he put out a milquetoast video saying to his supporters “We love you. You’re very special. Now go home in peace.” Trump remained adamant that these terrorists did nothing wrong.

Ms. Hutchinson: “He didn’t think they did anything wrong. The person who did something wrong that day [according to Trump] was Mike Pence.”

Vice-Chair Cheney, in closing: “Thank you Ms. Hutchinson for your testimony. We are all in your debt. Our nation is preserved by those who know the difference between right and wrong.”

She continues: “While our committee has heard from many witnesses, this is not been true of all witnesses. One particularly important practice we employ is that we ask witnesses whether they’ve ever been contacted by anyone else who attempted to influence their testimony.”

Rep Cheney proceeds to show and read select passages from statements they’ve received from multiple unnamed witnesses who have said under oath that they have received threats from Trump intermediaries reminding them that Trump is watching the hearings and “reads the transcripts.”

Mr. Thompson thanks Ms. Hutchinson for her courage, and says that if anyone has been deterred from speaking to this committee out of fear, intimidation, or apprehension about retaliation, to please know that they will be protected. He excuses the witness. Hearing is adjourned 🔥