The Jan. 6 House Committee released a statement Saturday describing the input of a former White House attorney as “reinforcing” alleged wrongdoing by former President Donald Trump.
The idea that former White House counsel Pat Cipollone, in his highly anticipated private interview Friday, would have corroborated the damning testimonies of other witnesses was initially tempered by the possibility that he could have invoked executive privilege, a legal concept intended to allow presidents to speak freely with legal advisers.
In response to multiple reports that Cipollone had invoked that privilege during his subpoena, a committee spokesman suggested a different storyline.
“In our interview with Mr. Cipollone, the commission received critical testimony on nearly every major topic in its investigation, reinforcing key points related to Donald Trump’s misconduct and providing highly relevant new information that will play a pivotal role in upcoming hearings,” the statement said. from House Select Committee spokesman Tim Mulvey read.
It continued: “This includes information demonstrating the utter dereliction of duty by Donald Trump.”
Trump and his representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Saturday.
Mulvey did not confirm or deny the privileges reports, but said Cipollone was never run by the panel to avoid potentially privileged information.
The statement even suggests that the committee in Cipollone was given a different vote to back up some of the vivid testimonies of Cassidy Hutchinson, aide to former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows.
She testified that on January 6, 2021, Trump was filled with anger and ordered his Secret Service to take him to the Capitol so he could join supporters who would eventually enter the complex and attack the police while attacking lawmakers and vice president. Mike tried to reach. Pence, all of whom are participating in certifying Trump’s loss.
She said Secret Service agents in a presidential SUV carrying Trump refused to take him, and the president jumped from behind the front seats to the wheel and then tried to grab an agent by the throat, Trump claims.
She also testified that Trump showed no sympathy for Pence because the rioters came potentially life-threateningly close to the vice president and Trump reportedly had the time and power to call them off. The former president has also denied this.
On Saturday, Mulvey said in the commission’s statement that Cipollone “confirmed key elements of Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony.”
The January 6 committee will continue to find facts during a hearing on Tuesday.
Julia Jester contributedâ€