Opening Remarks at the Sixth Public Hearing of the January 6th Select Committee – June 28, 2022

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

In our first five hearings, the Committee has heard from a significant number of Republicans, including former Trump Administration Justice Department Officials, Trump Campaign officials, several members of President Trump’s White House staff, a prominent conservative judge and several others. Today’s witness, Ms. Cassidy Hutchinson, is another Republican, and another former member of President Trump’s White House staff. Certain of us in the House of Representatives recall that Ms. Hutchinson once worked [interned] for the House Republican Whip, Steve Scalise. But she is also a familiar face on Capitol Hill because she held a prominent role in the White House legislative affairs office, and later was the principal aide to President Trump’s Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows. Ms. Hutchinson has spent considerable time up here on Capitol Hill representing the Trump Administration. And we welcome her back.

Up until now, our hearings have each been organized to address specific elements of President Trump’s plan to overturn the 2020 Presidential election. Today, we are departing somewhat from that model because Ms. Hutchinson’s testimony touches on several important and crosscutting topics – topics that are relevant to each of our future hearings.

In her role working for the White House Chief of Staff, Ms. Hutchinson handled a vast number of sensitive issues. She worked in the West Wing, several steps down the hall from the Oval Office. Ms. Hutchinson spoke daily with members of Congress, with high-ranking officials in the administration, with senior White House staff, including Mr. Meadows, with White House Counsel’s lawyers, and with Mr. Tony Ornado who served as the White House Deputy Chief of Staff. She also worked on a daily basis with members of the Secret Service who were posted in the White House. In short, Ms. Hutchinson was in a position to know a great deal about the happenings in the Trump White House.

Ms. Hutchinson has already sat for four videotaped interviews with Committee investigators. And we thank her very much for her cooperation and for her courage. We will cover certain but not all relevant topics within Ms. Hutchinson’s knowledge today. Again, our future hearings will supply greater detail, putting the testimony today in a broader and more complete context.

Today, you will hear Ms. Hutchinson relate certain first-hand observations of President Trump’s conduct on January 6th. You will also hear new information regarding the actions and statements of Mr. Trump’s senior advisors that day, including his Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and his White House Counsel. And we will begin to examine evidence bearing on what President Trump and members of the White House staff knew about the prospect for violence on January 6th even before that violence began.

To best communicate the information the Committee has gathered, we will follow the practice of our recent hearings, playing videotaped testimony from Ms. Hutchinson and others, and also posing questions to Ms. Hutchinson live.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back.

"Cheney Opening Remarks At Select Committee’s Sixth Public Hearing." Congresswoman Liz Cheney press release, June 28, 2022. https://cheney.house.gov/2022/06/28/cheney-opening-remarks-at-select-committees-sixth-public-hearing.

"THOMPSON AND CHENEY OPENING REMARKS AT SELECT COMMITTEE HEARING." Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol press release, June 28, 2022. https://january6th.house.gov/news/press-releases/thompson-and-cheney-opening-remarks-select-committee-hearing.