Cassidy Hutchinson faces DOJ push for criminal indictment

The US Justice Department is seeking a federal criminal indictment against former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, accusing her of lying to Congress during her high-profile testimony about the events of January 6.

Prosecutors from the department's Civil Rights Division, currently led by Harmeet Dhillon, presented evidence to a federal grand jury on Tuesday, according to a report by Punchbowl News. A source familiar with the matter later confirmed to NBC News that the department is actively pursuing the charge.

The grand jury is expected to hear more evidence and testimonies from additional witnesses later this month. Hutchinson herself has not yet been subpoenaed to appear.

Why Hutchinson is being targeted

Hutchinson, who served as a chief assistant to Donald Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows, became the star witness of the House January 6 committee hearings in 2022. Her testimony offered an intimate, inside look at the final chaotic days of the Trump administration and his reluctance to call off the rioters storming the Capitol.

Her most controversial testimony involved a second-hand account of Trump physically clashing with his Secret Service detail inside his armoured presidential vehicle, nicknamed "the Beast", after being told he could not join his supporters at the Capitol. Trump and his allies have spent years aggressively disputing that story, using it to demand she be prosecuted for perjury.

Pressure on the Justice Department

The move to indict Hutchinson follows reports of deep political pressure within the newly restructured Justice Department. Last week, The Atlantic reported that both Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel have been warned that their job security depends on delivering indictments against Trump’s political foes, with Hutchinson high on the target list.

One former official told the magazine that Trump "wants indictments" and "wants people in handcuffs," regardless of how weak the evidence might be. Another source noted that investigators have spent significant resources on the inquiry, leaving staff feeling they "have to come up with something."

It remains unclear which specific elements of Hutchinson's extensive multi-day testimony the Justice Department is claiming are false. Representatives for Hutchinson have not yet publicly responded to the reports.