Federal prosecutors failed to secure an indictment against former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson from a grand jury investigating her testimony regarding the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, according to four sources briefed on the proceedings.
The Grand Jury Rebuffs Federal Prosecutors
- Federal prosecutors attempted to secure an indictment against Cassidy Hutchinson over her Jan. 6 testimony, but the grand jury declined to concur.
- The Washington Post first reported the grand jury decision, which was later confirmed during a court hearing by Neville Hedley, a litigator with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
- Hutchinson previously served as a top aide to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and drew backlash from Donald Trump’s allies following her 2022 congressional testimony.
The Civil Rights Division Investigation and Court Revelations
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has been managing the investigation into Hutchinson, CBS News reported. During a court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui, Neville Hedley of the Civil Rights Division stated that the grand jury had declined to concur on a proposed indictment. While Hedley did not name the defendant during the hearing, multiple sources confirmed to reporters that the proceeding centered on Hutchinson. The Department of Justice has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the grand jury’s decision.
High-Stakes Congressional Testimony and Disputed Claims
Hutchinson became a central figure in the congressional inquiries following her 2022 testimony before the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack. As a top aide to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, she testified that both Trump and Meadows were warned on January 6 that attendees at the rally carried weapons, and that Trump dismissed the warning while attempting to have magnetometers removed from the Ellipse venue. She also recounted a story told to her by then-White House deputy chief of staff Tony Ornato, alleging that Trump grew angry when his lead Secret Service agent refused to drive him to the Capitol after his speech, leading to a physical struggle in the vehicle over the steering wheel. That specific allegation was later directly contradicted by the president’s driver in sworn testimony.
Unanswered Questions Remain for the Justice Department
It remains unclear precisely which elements of Hutchinson’s extensive congressional depositions are under active scrutiny by prosecutors. Media reports indicate that the referral to the Justice Department originated from House Republican allies of Trump. With the grand jury declining to return an indictment, the immediate next steps for the Civil Rights Division’s inquiry remain unconfirmed.
