By Fatma Younis
A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., has refused to indict Cassidy Hutchinson, a former top aide to Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, on charges of lying to Congress during her testimony before the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. The Justice Department had sought the indictment, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Setback for Justice Department
The grand jury's decision marks a setback for the Justice Department in what critics describe as a campaign of retribution by President Donald Trump, who has long accused Hutchinson of lying about his actions surrounding the Capitol assault. Republicans have sought to undermine Hutchinson's testimony, particularly her secondhand account of Trump lunging for the steering wheel of his presidential limousine after his speech on the Ellipse on Jan. 6.
Former special counsel Jack Smith, who indicted Trump for efforts to overturn the 2020 election, determined that much of Hutchinson's testimony was based on hearsay and opted not to treat her as a material witness. Trump pleaded not guilty to all Jan. 6-related charges, and Smith's case against him was ultimately dismissed. Hutchinson has maintained that she stands by her testimony.
