Jack Smith Responds to Hutchinson’s Claims

Former special counsel Jack Smith has refuted the allegations made by Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide and witness to the January 6 committee, during her recent deposition to Congress.

In a testimony before the House Judiciary Committee this month, Smith mentioned that he is looking into Hutchinson’s assertions as part of the investigation and prosecution involving former President Donald Trump in connection with the 2020 election. He indicated, according to documents released Wednesday, that Hutchinson’s claims were lacking because they were not based on first-hand evidence.

When queried about how he would have handled cross-examining Hutchinson, Smith stated that he would have sought to exclude parts of her testimony due to hearsay. “I don’t have her full testimony in front of me right now,” he noted, but he recalled it contained a considerable amount of hearsay.

No Political Motives in Prosecution, Smith Claims

Smith was also asked about specific accusations made by Hutchinson, such as Trump’s knowledge of supporters bringing weapons to rallies and an incident where Trump allegedly attempted to grab the steering wheel of a vehicle out of frustration.

He described Hutchinson as a “second or third-hand witness,” adding that others provided contrasting accounts. Furthermore, Smith mentioned that they had interviewed individuals Hutchinson referenced, including an officer. He indicated that while the officer affirmed Trump was irate and wanted to go to the Capitol, the details differed from Hutchinson’s secondhand reports.

According to Smith, much of Hutchinson’s testimony consisted of hearsay and, although the admissibility of such evidence is uncertain, he acknowledged it would not hold the same weight as first-hand accounts.

Hutchinson previously served as chief of staff to Mark Meadows during the latter part of Trump’s presidency and was a pivotal witness in the investigation into the Capitol attack on January 6. Her testimony garnered significant media attention but faced skepticism from Republicans who believed the committee lacked credibility due to its composition of only two prominent anti-Trump members.

The January 6 Testimony

In a dramatic hearing in June 2022, Hutchinson testified under oath, claiming that there were warnings within the White House about the potential for violence on January 6 and that Trump was privy to the fact that some supporters at the rally would be armed. She also recounted an incident where Trump supposedly tried to take control of the steering wheel from a Secret Service agent, expressing his desire to go to the Capitol instead of the West Wing.

Hutchinson stated Trump implored, “I’m the outgoing president, please take me to the Capitol right now,” to which the agent responded, “Sir, we have to go back to the West Wing.” At this point, according to her, Trump reached over and grabbed the steering wheel. Interestingly, Hutchinson had not mentioned this specific claim in earlier committee interviews, revealing later that she had withheld it at her former lawyer’s request.

As part of an extended closed-door deposition earlier this month that lasted over eight hours, Smith addressed Hutchinson, focusing on the Trump investigation related to the 2020 election and allegations about his handling of classified documents. He also defended his investigative methods, which included subpoenas for phone data from legislators, as well as decisions to impose a gag order on Trump.