Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt, the only protester killed during the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol breach when she was shot by a Capitol police officer, will receive full military funeral honors from the Air Force.
“On behalf of the Secretary of the Air Force, I write to extend the offer for Military Funeral Honors for SrA Ashli Babbitt,” Undersecretary of the Air Force Matthew Lohmeier <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/08/28/us-news/jan-6-rioter-ashli-babbitt-gets-air-force-military-funeral-honors/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter">wrote</a> to Babbitt’s family. “After reviewing the circumstances of Ashli’s death, and considering the information that has come forward since then, I am persuaded that the previous determination was incorrect.”
Babbitt “served on active duty as a security forces senior airman from 2004 to 2008, then served in both the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, deploying to Afghanistan in 2005, Iraq in 2006, and the United Arab Emirates in 2012 and 2014,” <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/08/28/ashli-babbitt-military-honors-funeral/">The Washington Post reported,</a> adding, “Any service member who was on active duty at the time of their death is eligible, as is any former service member who was honorably discharged.”
Babbitt was 35 when she entered the Capitol building and gained access to a hallway outside “Speaker’s Lobby,” which leads to the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/department-justice-closes-investigation-death-ashli-babbitt?utm_source=chatgpt.com">noted,</a> adding, “At the time, the USCP (United States Capitol Police) was evacuating Members from the Chamber, which the mob was trying to enter from multiple doorways.” Babbitt was unarmed at the time.
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The USCP officers used furniture to barricade a set of glass doors separating the hallway and Speaker’s Lobby; three officers positioned themselves between the doors. Protesters broke the glass doors, allowing Babbitt to attempt to climb through one of the doors. An officer inside the Speaker’s Lobby fired one round from his service pistol, which hit Babbitt in the left shoulder. She was taken to Washington Hospital Center, where she later died.
The DOJ decided there was insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution of the police officer, stating, “Prosecutors would have to prove not only that the officer used force that was constitutionally unreasonable, but that the officer did so ‘willfully, which the Supreme Court has interpreted to mean that the officer acted with a bad purpose to disregard the law. &#8230; the investigation revealed no evidence to establish that, at the time the officer fired a single shot at Ms. Babbitt, the officer did not reasonably believe that it was necessary to do so in self-defense or in defense of the Members of Congress and others evacuating the House Chamber.”
In January 2024, Babbitt’s family members <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/doj-reaches-agreement-principle-settle-lawsuit-brought-family/story?id=121409667">sued</a> the federal government, seeking $30 million, claiming she had been wrongfully killed.
“The lawsuit filed by Babbitt’s family alleged that Babbitt did not go to Washington’ for any unlawful or nefarious purpose,’ had her hands in the air when she was shot and ‘posed no threat to the safety of anyone,’” the Post noted.
In May 2025, the Department of Justice reached a settlement with Ashli Babbitt’s family, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/19/us-news/family-of-jan-6-rioter-ashli-babbitt-gets-5m-settlement-from-trump-admin-reports/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">agreeing</a> later that month to pay them just under $5 million.

Ashli Babbit

Ashli Babbitt Remembered: Air Force To Give Full Military Funeral Honors To Jan. 6 Victim

Air Force

Ashli Babbitt

Capitol Riot

January 6

Military

U.S.

The Department of Justice is reportedly set to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of Ashli Babbitt, who was killed on January 6, 2021, in the U.S. Capitol, for $5 million.
Babbitt’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the federal government last year, seeking $30 million. The Justice Department previously opposed the suit and planned to argue against it in a trial scheduled for July 2026.
Attorneys for the Justice Department and for Babbitt’s family said at a May 2 hearing that they had agreed to a settlement to end the case, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/05/19/ashli-babbitt-lawsuit-settlement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Post</a>. No deal was filed, and U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes ordered the parties to update the court about the agreement this coming Thursday, May 22.
The settlement is reportedly an agreement by the Trump administration to pay Babbitt’s family $5 million. Babbitt was fatally shot by a police officer on January 6 after entering the U.S. Capitol.
The Babbitt family is being represented in the case by Judicial Watch, whose president, Tom Fitton, declined to comment on the settlement in a post on X.
“[Judicial Watch] can&#8217;t yet comment on the Ashli Babbitt settlement amount that is being reported because the settlement still hasn&#8217;t been finalized. But I can say, contrary to initial WPOST report, [Judicial Watch] is not getting a third (or any portion) of any settlement. We are representing Ashil&#8217;s family pro bono!” Fitton posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/JudicialWatch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JudicialWatch</a> can&#39;t yet comment on the Ashli Babbitt settlement amount that is being reported because the settlement still hasn&#39;t been finalized. But I can say, contrary to initial WPOST report, <a href="https://twitter.com/JudicialWatch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JudicialWatch</a> is not getting a third (or any portion) of any settlement. We are… <a href="https://t.co/Cn35tbXd5H">https://t.co/Cn35tbXd5H</a>
&mdash; Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomFitton/status/1924552757270167958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia conducted an investigation into Babbitt&#8217;s death, and released its findings in April 2021. Investigators concluded that the police officer who shot Babbitt did not violate federal laws “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“Specifically, the investigation revealed no evidence to establish that, at the time the officer fired a single shot at Ms. Babbitt, the officer did not reasonably believe that it was necessary to do so in self-defense or in defense of the Members of Congress and others evacuating the House Chamber,” the U.S. attorney’s office <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/department-justice-closes-investigation-death-ashli-babbitt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
President Donald Trump has taken a more sympathetic view of those involved in January 6. On his first day in office, Trump <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a sweeping clemency order for all of the nearly 1,600 people charged in connection with the Capitol riot. Most received full pardons while over a dozen others had their sentences commuted. Those who had not yet been tried had their cases dropped.

January 6th Solidarity Rally

Trump Admin Reportedly Reaches Settlement With Family Of Ashli Babbitt

Courts

Department of Justice

Donald Trump

Judicial Watch

The Jasper County, Indiana, Sheriff&#8217;s Office released dashcam footage on Thursday showing last month&#8217;s traffic stop where a man pardoned by President Donald Trump was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-who-received-j6-pardon-shot-and-killed-during-traffic-stop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot and killed</a> during an altercation with a deputy.
Matthew Huttle of Hobart, Indiana — who benefited from Trump&#8217;s sweeping January 6 Capitol riot pardons — allegedly resisted arrest after being pulled over on January 26. Huttle, who was stopped on State Road 14 for driving 70 mph in a 55 mph zone, told the deputy, &#8220;I just want to let you know that I&#8217;m a January 6th defendant,&#8221; according to body cam footage, the Indianapolis Star <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2025/02/27/body-cam-footage-jan-6-defendants-traffic-stop-shooting-death-released-matthew-huttle-jasper-county/80731312007/#body-cam-matthew-huttle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
&#8220;What do you mean?&#8221; the deputy asked.
&#8220;I stormed the Capitol. I&#8217;m waiting on my pardon,&#8221; Huttle replied, adding, &#8220;Yeah, and I can&#8217;t really afford to get into any trouble right now.&#8221;
He then admitted to driving without a license. Informed that his felony offense requires that the officer transport him to jail, Huttle said, &#8220;I can&#8217;t do it. No, I can&#8217;t go to jail for this, sir.&#8221;
The bodycam footage appears to have been taken down by YouTube. Dashcam <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-B64wlUUOs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">footage</a> of the incident is still on the platform and shows Huttle sprinting to the driver&#8217;s side door and reaching into the vehicle.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Public Release of Officer Involved Shooting from 1/26/2025" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v-B64wlUUOs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The Clinton County, Indiana, Prosecutor’s Office reviewed the case and said that the deputy chased Huttle before a struggle ensued. After jumping into the car, Huttle allegedly raised a gun and said, &#8220;I&#8217;m shooting myself.&#8221; The prosecutor&#8217;s office <a href="https://www.in.gov/sheriffs/jasper/files/Jasper-County-OIS-Final-Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concluded</a> that the officer &#8220;was legally justified in using deadly force to defend himself.&#8221;
&#8220;Believing that Huttle posed a deadly threat, the Deputy fired multiple shots, striking Huttle. The Deputy then retreated to his vehicle and awaited backup. Lifesaving measures were attempted, but Huttle was pronounced deceased at the scene,&#8221; the prosecutor&#8217;s office said.
During the traffic stop, Huttle &#8220;was found to be a Habitual Traffic Violator,&#8221; a felony under Indiana law, according to the prosecutor&#8217;s office. The 42-year-old Indiana man previously spent time behind bars for a driving offense.
Shortly after being released from jail for his previous offense, Huttle attended the rally at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021. He later pled guilty to entering a restricted building after being inside the U.S. Capitol for 16 minutes. Huttle&#8217;s defense attorney, Andrew Hemmer, said that his client was “not a true believer in any political cause” but was only at the Trump rally that day “because he thought it would be a historic moment and he had nothing better to do after getting out of jail.”

Sheriff’s Dept Releases Footage Of Officer Fatally Shooting J6 Defendant

General

Indiana

Law Enforcement

Shooting

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-house-of-representatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House</a> Republicans are starting up a new panel to investigate events leading up to and after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/january-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 6</a>, 2021, Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA) revealed on Wednesday.
A new select subcommittee is being established under the House Judiciary Committee and will be chaired by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), who led the counter-probe into the U.S. Capitol breach and the Democrat-led January 6 Committee, leading to a report that demanded <a href="https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/6/d/6dae7b82-7683-4f56-a177-ba98695e600d/145DD5A70E967DEEC1F511764D3E6FA1.final-interim-report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">further inquiry</a> into its leaders — Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) — for suspected wrongdoing related to data retention and witnesses.
&#8220;House Republicans are proud of our work so far in exposing the false narratives peddled by the politically motivated January 6 Select Committee during the 117th Congress, but there is still more work to be done,&#8221; Johnson said in a statement. &#8220;We are establishing this Select Subcommittee to continue our efforts to uncover the full truth that is owed to the American people. The composition and other details regarding the Select Subcommittee will be announced soon.&#8221;
The announcement comes after President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> issued a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-issues-full-pardon-to-nearly-all-j6-defendants-could-be-released-from-prison-tonight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sweeping executive order</a> on Monday, hours into his second term, granting pardons to about 1,500 criminal defendants related to the January 6 Capitol riot. That move followed former President Joe Biden issuing preemptive <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-issues-last-minute-pardons-for-fauci-mark-milley-and-jan-6-committee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pardons</a> to members of the January 6 Committee right before he left office, including Thompson and Cheney, and others. Trump himself faced a criminal prosecutions tied to the 2020 election and January 6, but they faltered after the 2024 presidential contest.
&#8220;I am honored to be tasked with continuing the investigation into the events surrounding January 6, 2021, and the failures that led to the breach of the United States Capitol,&#8221; Loudermilk said in a statement. &#8220;What happened at the Capitol that day was the result of a series of intelligence, security, and leadership failures at multiple levels within numerous entities. I appreciate Speaker Johnson’s commitment to our work, and I am looking forward to working with Chairman Jim Jordan to continue to uncover all the facts and begin the arduous task of making needed reforms to ensure this level of security failure may never happen again.”
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In a statement of his own, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) said &#8220;Loudermilk has been the leader in getting to the bottom of what the Democrat-led January 6 Committee failed to uncover, and we look forward to helping him bring all the facts to the American people.&#8221;
After receiving their pardons, Thompson and Cheney released a joint <a href="https://www.wlbt.com/2025/01/20/thomspon-cheney-release-statement-wake-presidential-pardon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> thanking Biden and lamenting how they were being subject to continued scrutiny.
&#8220;We express our gratitude to President Biden for recognizing that we and our families have been continuously targeted not only with harassment, lies, and threats of criminal violence but also with specific threats of criminal prosecution and imprisonment by members of the incoming administration, simply for doing our jobs and upholding our oath of office,&#8221; the pair said, adding, &#8220;We have been pardoned today not for breaking the law but for upholding it.&#8221;

Mike Johnson

House Republicans Launch New January 6 Panel

Bennie Thompson

Congress

January 6 Committee

Jim Jordan

Liz Cheney

U.S. House of Representatives

Some January 6 defendants were reportedly not released from a Washington, D.C. jail on Monday night, following President Donald Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-issues-full-pardon-to-nearly-all-j6-defendants-could-be-released-from-prison-tonight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sweeping Executive Order</a> offering full pardons, dismissals, or commutations to nearly all defendants.
A White House liaison showed up at the jail late Monday and said two brothers, Andrew Valentin, 26, and Matthew Valentin, 31, had been released, per Trump&#8217;s order.
However, people gathered outside the jail said there were other defendants still inside:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In a somewhat bizarre scene just now, a person saying he’s a liaison from the White House came to the DC Jail and announced that the January 6 pardon releases here occurred, but that only two people came out.
Confusing situation as dozens more presumably inside. <a href="https://t.co/q5QTPKkMC1">pic.twitter.com/q5QTPKkMC1</a>
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) <a href="https://twitter.com/FordFischer/status/1881553088773017960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
A possible explanation was posted on X by WUSA 9 investigative reporter Jordan Fischer. Basically, Trump&#8217;s order gave full pardons to almost everyone convicted of J6-related crimes. However, if someone is in jail and still awaiting trial, their case, per the order, will be dismissed. The dismissal of such cases could take longer to process, according to Fischer.
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&#8220;Trump&#8217;s order pardoned people *convicted* of crimes related to Jan. 6. Defendants still awaiting trial or sentencing &#8212; the vast majority at the jail &#8212; have not been pardoned,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;Trump ordered their cases dismissed. That&#8217;s not going to happen at 11 p.m. on a federal holiday.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Trump&#8217;s order pardoned people *convicted* of crimes related to Jan. 6.
Defendants still awaiting trial or sentencing &#8212; the vast majority at the jail &#8212; have not been pardoned. Trump ordered their cases dismissed. That&#8217;s not going to happen at 11 p.m. on a federal holiday. <a href="https://t.co/xCObUvHOF7">https://t.co/xCObUvHOF7</a>
— Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord) <a href="https://twitter.com/JordanOnRecord/status/1881570388129481054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
&#8220;The confusion is understandable,&#8221; Fischer added. &#8220;Pardoning is something the president can do by fiat. Dismissing a federal case requires a U.S attorney to file a motion with the presiding judge, who then must grant the motion and order the defendant&#8217;s release.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
The confusion is understandable. Pardoning is something the president can do by fiat. Dismissing a federal case requires a U.S attorney to file a motion with the presiding judge, who then must grant the motion and order the defendant&#8217;s release. <a href="https://t.co/YwGh0ocR8J">https://t.co/YwGh0ocR8J</a>
— Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord) <a href="https://twitter.com/JordanOnRecord/status/1881573026204143739?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
The explanation might follow with some defendants still awaiting trial, but numerous reports online say convicted J6 defendants&#8217; release are still being delayed, too.
Here&#8217;s the language from Trump&#8217;s executive order about such cases: &#8220;I further direct the Attorney General to pursue dismissal with prejudice to the government of all pending indictments against individuals for their conduct related to the events at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. The Bureau of Prisons shall immediately implement all instructions from the Department of Justice regarding this directive.&#8221;
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Utah Sen. Mike Lee (R), though, has excoriated the D.C. jail for not releasing all defendants immediately. Lee said he&#8217;s working to verify why the delay is happening, and said D.C.&#8217;s &#8220;<a href="https://wamu.org/story/24/11/15/friday-chat-dc-home-rule/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Home Rule</a>&#8221; should be repealed.
“Last night, from what we can tell, after Trump issued a pardon for a number of prisoners involved with January 6th, there were only two released last night,&#8221; Lee said. &#8220;I spoke to someone last night who had gone down personally to the D.C. jail, saw that only two of them had been released, and jail officials at the D. C. jail announced that they wouldn&#8217;t be releasing any more last night.&#8221;
&#8220;Now, this is not hard, Glenn,&#8221; Lee continued. &#8220;They have names, and they have pardons. They can identify those prisoners who have been pardoned. Trump&#8217;s directive was that they were to be released immediately, as one should when one sees that somebody has been pardoned, [yet] they still weren&#8217;t out.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;re still trying to get names, numbers, and verify how this is happening,&#8221; Lee added. &#8220;But from what we can tell, they haven&#8217;t complied with it yet.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Did DC prison officials only release TWO J6 prisoners after Trump pardoned 1500? <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMikeLee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenMikeLee</a> tells me this appears to be TRUE: “From what we can tell, they haven’t complied with it yet. It’s yet another reason to revisit DC’s Home Rule, which I think should be repealed.” <a href="https://t.co/y4XY1uzgjy">pic.twitter.com/y4XY1uzgjy</a>
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) <a href="https://twitter.com/glennbeck/status/1881734207484891250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-issues-full-pardon-to-nearly-all-j6-defendants-could-be-released-from-prison-tonight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump Issues Full Pardon To Nearly All J6 Defendants, Could Be Released From Prison ‘Tonight’</a>

January 6 Capitol Riot

DC Jail Reportedly Refuses To Release Some J6 Defendants. What’s Going On?

Executive Orders

Politics

President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> already has a game plan to dole out <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/january-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 6</a> pardons soon after he begins his second term, according to a report on Sunday, roughly 24 hours before the inauguration.
Two sources told CNN that &#8220;Trump and his team have drafted a slate of pardons for people convicted for their role on Jan 6 to be issued on day one, shortly after Trump is sworn into the White House,&#8221; CNN reporter Alayna Treene <a href="https://x.com/alaynatreene/status/1880999808154116313" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X.
&#8220;The extent of the initial pardons is still unclear, however, one of the sources described them as enough to be seen as &#8216;delivering on his long-held promise,'&#8221; Treene added. &#8220;Trump has repeatedly said he planned to swiftly pardon people who were convicted for their role in the Jan 6 attack.&#8221;
She concluded: &#8220;During a December interview with Time Magazine, Trump said: &#8216;I&#8217;ll be looking at J6 early on, maybe the first nine minutes.'&#8221;
The Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/47-months-jan-6-attack-us-capitol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> more than 1,500 people have been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-still-aggressively-prosecuting-january-6-defendants-as-pardons-loom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prosecuted</a> in connection to the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, when Congress met to certify President Joe Biden&#8217;s 2020 election victory over Trump. Many of the defendants pleaded guilty or were found guilty, and several hundred of them were sentenced to prison.
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Vice President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jd-vance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JD Vance</a>, who is slated to be sworn into office on Monday alongside Trump, spoke last weekend about the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vance-reveals-simple-approach-to-january-6-pardons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;simple&#8221; process</a> by which Trump planned to conduct <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/january-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 6</a> pardons, suggesting that people who were convicted of non-violent crimes only will receive clemency.
&#8220;Look, if you protested peacefully on January the 6th, and you&#8217;ve had Merrick Garland&#8217;s Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned. If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn&#8217;t be pardoned,&#8221; Vance said on &#8220;Fox News Sunday&#8221; with anchor Shannon Bream.
Vance also said: &#8220;And there&#8217;s a little bit of a gray area there. But we&#8217;re very much committed to seeing the equal administration of law. And there are a lot of people, we think in the wake of January the 6th, who were prosecuted unfairly. We need to rectify that.&#8221;
The Associated Press <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/heres-where-jan-6-trials-stand-on-the-fourth-anniversary-of-the-capitol-riot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has reported that</a> hundreds of defendants &#8220;who did not engage in destruction or violence were charged only with misdemeanor offenses for entering the Capitol illegally,&#8221; while others faced more serious charges related to violence or conspiracy.
In December, Trump <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-interview-meet-press-kristen-welker-election-president-rcna182857" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> NBC News that his team was &#8220;looking at&#8221; the prospect of pardoning January 6 defendants on the first day of his second term. &#8220;Those people have suffered long and hard,&#8221; Trump said. However, Trump also conceded &#8220;there may be some exceptions&#8221; when it comes to dolling out pardons.

Trump Reportedly Drafted ‘Slate’ Of ‘Day One’ January 6 Pardons

Executive

Inauguration

Pardon

Vice President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jd-vance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JD Vance</a> has offered insight into the &#8220;simple&#8221; process by which President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> plans to conduct <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/january-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 6</a> pardons, suggesting that people who were convicted of non-violent crimes only will receive clemency.
With a little more than a week before Inauguration Day, Vance took aim at the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the leadership of Attorney General Merrick Garland during an interview on &#8220;Fox News Sunday&#8221; with anchor Shannon Bream.
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&#8220;January 6th <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pardon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pardons</a>: President Trump says there&#8217;s a process. Where is the line drawn? And who will and wouldn&#8217;t be considered for a pardon?&#8221; Bream asked.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH: <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> lays out President-elect Trump’s pardon process for January 6th participants. Tune in tomorrow for the rest of Shannon&#39;s exclusive interview with Vice President-elect JD Vance. <a href="https://t.co/RvqXrL6rO3">pic.twitter.com/RvqXrL6rO3</a>
&mdash; Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNewsSunday/status/1878219107239080187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I think it&#8217;s very simple,&#8221; Vance replied. &#8220;Look, if you protested peacefully on January the 6th, and you&#8217;ve had Merrick Garland&#8217;s Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned. If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn&#8217;t be pardoned.&#8221;
He also said: &#8220;And there&#8217;s a little bit of a gray area there. But we&#8217;re very much committed to seeing the equal administration of law. And there are a lot of people, we think in the wake of January the 6th, who were prosecuted unfairly. We need to rectify that.&#8221;
More than 1,500 people have been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-still-aggressively-prosecuting-january-6-defendants-as-pardons-loom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prosecuted</a> in connection to the U.S. Capitol riot four years ago, according to <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/47-months-jan-6-attack-us-capitol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the DOJ</a>. Many of the defendants pleaded guilty or were found guilty, and several hundred of them were sentenced to prison.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-attorney-behind-january-6-prosecutions-stepping-down-before-trumps-inauguration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RELATED: U.S. Attorney Behind January 6 Prosecutions Stepping Down Before Trump’s Inauguration</a>
The Associated Press <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/heres-where-jan-6-trials-stand-on-the-fourth-anniversary-of-the-capitol-riot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> hundreds of defendants &#8220;who did not engage in destruction or violence were charged only with misdemeanor offenses for entering the Capitol illegally,&#8221; while others faced more serious charges related to violence or conspiracy.
Trump <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-interview-meet-press-kristen-welker-election-president-rcna182857" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> NBC News in December that his team was &#8220;looking at&#8221; the prospect of pardoning January 6 defendants on the first day of his second term.  &#8220;Those people have suffered long and hard,&#8221; Trump said. However, Trump also conceded &#8220;there may be some exceptions&#8221; when it comes to dolling out pardons.
Last week, a federal appeals court gave Garland <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/09/politics/special-counsel-report-smith-trump/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">permission</a> to release <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-prosecutor-jack-smith-resigns-from-doj" target="_blank" rel="noopener">now-former</a> special counsel Jack Smith&#8217;s report volume on his 2020 election interference investigation into Trump, though it <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-orders-doj-respond-trump-defendants-allegations-smith/story?id=117585664" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remained unclear</a> as of press time whether such a disclosure will ultimately get blocked.

JD Vance

Vance Reveals ‘Simple’ Approach To January 6 Pardons

Merrick Garland

CNN Anchor John Berman and data guru Harry Enten laid out the polling that proved, despite the repeated insistence of many Democrats and media talking heads, the American people just weren&#8217;t all that concerned with blaming President-elect Donald Trump for the Capitol riot.
The two hashed out the details during Monday&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;CNN News Central,&#8221; where Enten laid out the polling data from immediately after January 6th, 2021 — and then compared it to the polling data from 2023 and 2024, going into the 2024 presidential election.
WATCH:
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CNN Data Shows Voters No Longer Buy January 6 ‘Insurrection’ Hype&#8230;
CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten revealed Monday that American voters’ focus on the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot significantly waned during the 2024 presidential election cycle.
The shift in public… <a href="https://t.co/dqsIOeVWsl">pic.twitter.com/dqsIOeVWsl</a>
&mdash; RVM News (@redvoicenews) <a href="https://twitter.com/redvoicenews/status/1876299203481162020?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Enten began with the percentage of voters who believed that Trump was primarily responsible for the riot that took place on Capitol Hill that day — and that he should be either removed from office or barred from re-election because of it.
&#8220;If you go back, you know, four years ago, right? Trump’s role on January 6, 2021, should make him ineligible to be president, the clear majority of voters said yes, 56%,&#8221; Enten said, noting that they had also said he should be removed from office at that time.
&#8220;But of course, Donald Trump won the presidency, and part of the reason why was because views on Trump completely shifted, including Trump’s role on January 6,&#8221; he continued, noting that after three years had passed, the number of people who believed Trump should be ineligible for the presidency because of January 6th had fallen to 47%.
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&#8220;So we saw this drop of about 9 points, and that of course makes all the difference in the world. And that, of course, is all the difference in the world, going from a majority to short of a majority,&#8221; Enten added. &#8220;And of course, Donald Trump won the vast, vast, vast, vast, vast majority of the other 53% who did not believe that his role on January 6th would make him ineligible for the post.&#8221;
Berman questioned the reason behind that shift, and Enten noted that over that same time period, the number of voters who primarily blamed Trump for the riot had also dropped from 48% to 37% by the time the election picked up.
&#8220;Look at that again, a clear shift down to 37%. This is an 11-point drop, very much mirroring that drop that we saw that the folks at that, of course, would make him ineligible for the presidency. So that is part of the reason why,&#8221; Enten explained. &#8220;Folks, fewer folks thought he was responsible, greatly responsible for what happened on January 6th.&#8221;
But the kicker, Enten said, was that fact that people just weren&#8217;t as focused on the riot as a major event: &#8220;It’s not just that. It’s that people, simply put, didn’t care as much about the attack on the Capitol.&#8221;
When asked whether January 6th was their &#8220;biggest memory of Trump&#8217;s first term in office,&#8221; only five percent said that it was in 2024. Among Republicans, that number was just two percent, according to Enten.
&#8220;So the bottom line is fewer Americans fault Donald Trump or thought he was greatly responsible for the January 6th attack. And more than that, as it went into the rearview mirror, far fewer folks thought that it was their number one memory,&#8221; Enten concluded.
&#8220;And this is an extraordinary number given that President Biden, when he was still in the election, was really putting this as his main issue,&#8221; Berman observed. &#8220;That never really was registering.&#8221;

Donald Trump Hosts Hispanic Roundtable In Nevada

CNN Realizes Two Months Too Late That Americans Don’t Care About January 6th Anymore

CNN Realizes Two Months Too Late That Americans Don't Care About January 6th Anymore

John Berman

Media

The U.S. attorney whose office spearheaded prosecutions in cases related to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/capitol-riot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Capitol riot</a> on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/january-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 6</a>, 2021, announced on Monday that he will step down before President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump&#8217;</a>s return to the White House.
Matthew Graves, a longtime federal prosecutor who has held the role of U.S. attorney in the nation&#8217;s capital for a little more than three years, is set to resign effective January 16, four days before Inauguration Day. The principal assistant U.S. attorney in D.C., Bridget Fitzpatrick, is slated to become acting U.S. attorney after Graves departs.
&#8220;Serving as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia has been the honor of a lifetime,” Graves said in a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/united-states-attorney-matthew-m-graves-step-down-january-16-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;I am deeply thankful to Congresswoman Holmes Norton for recommending me; to President Biden for nominating me; and to Attorney General Garland for placing his trust in me.&#8221;
Graves dealt with all sorts of issues during his stint as a U.S. attorney, ranging from those focused on national security matters to cryptocurrency. However, it was his record with January 6 cases that became a political lightning rod: the Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/47-months-jan-6-attack-us-capitol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> nearly 1,600 defendants have been charged, many of whom pleaded guilty or were found guilty, and several hundred of them were sentenced to prison.
Some have been heavily critical of Graves, including Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), who <a href="https://x.com/RepAndyBiggsAZ/status/1873815480839843868" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> to the U.S. attorney stepping down by saying  &#8220;the pawn at the helm of DOJ’s targeting of Joe Biden’s political opponents — just resigned ahead of President Trump’s inauguration,&#8221; and noting, &#8220;The Swamp knows that justice is coming.&#8221;
The inspector general for the Department of Justice recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ig-says-fbi-had-dozens-of-informants-in-d-c-on-jan-6-including-in-capitol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> a report that said the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI</a> had at least 26 confidential human sources (CHSs) in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021, including some who committed offenses but are not among the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/capitol-breach-cases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hundreds who had been charged</a> with crimes.
Graves&#8217; office responded by saying it &#8220;generally has not charged those individuals whose only crime on January 6, 2021 was to enter the restricted grounds surrounding the Capitol, which has resulted in the Office declining to charge hundreds of individuals; and we have treated the CHSs consistent with this approach.&#8221;
During an interview on NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Meet The Press&#8221; earlier this month, Trump <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-interview-meet-press-kristen-welker-election-president-rcna182857" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> his team was &#8220;looking at&#8221; the prospect of pardoning January 6 defendants on the first day of his second term. Trump declared, &#8220;Those people have suffered long and hard,&#8221; though he also conceded &#8220;there may be some exceptions&#8221; when it comes to dolling out pardons.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Matthew Graves

U.S. Attorney Behind January 6 Prosecutions Stepping Down Before Trump’s Inauguration

Washington D.C.

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI</a> had at least 26 informants in Washington, D.C., on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/january-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 6</a>, 2021, the day of the U.S. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/capitol-riot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Capitol riot</a>, including some who committed offenses but are not among the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/capitol-breach-cases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hundreds who have been charged</a> with crimes, the inspector general for the Department of Justice said in a report released on Thursday.
Informants, or confidential human sources (CHSs) as they are called by the U.S. government, <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/about/faqs/what-is-the-fbis-policy-on-the-use-of-informants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are used by</a> law enforcement for various investigations, yet the sheer number of them suspected to have been in the crowd on January 6 has fueled concerns about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-and-capitol-police-identified-credible-threats-but-failed-to-follow-procedure-in-run-up-to-january-6-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">intelligence failures</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/proud-boys-defense-attorney-claims-50-informants-revealed-in-january-6-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">doubts</a> about whether they acted appropriately.
The <a href="https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/25-011_0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new report</a> said the inspector general&#8217;s team determined three informants were tasked by FBI field offices in the days leading up to the January 6 certification of the presidential election results with the &#8220;required approval&#8221; by the FBI&#8217;s Washington Field Office to travel to D.C. for events to report on &#8220;domestic terrorism subjects&#8221; who were possibly going to be in attendance.
A review by the watchdog found that these three CHSs and another 23 FBI informants who were in D.C. for January 6 events did not receive authorization to enter the Capitol or a restricted area, &#8220;or to otherwise break the law&#8221; on January 6. The inspector general&#8217;s report also stressed that none of the informants were directed by the FBI to &#8220;encourage others&#8221; to commit illegal acts on January 6.
However, the inspector general&#8217;s team determined, four informants entered the Capitol during the riot and another 13 of them entered a restricted area around the building, &#8220;which was a security perimeter established in preparation for&#8221; the certification process. Despite this finding, none of the CHSs have been prosecuted to date, the watchdog added.
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A footnote in the report included a response from the U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office in Washington, D.C., which said it &#8220;generally has not charged those individuals whose only crime on January 6, 2021 was to enter the restricted grounds surrounding the Capitol, which has resulted in the Office declining to charge hundreds of individuals; and we have treated the CHSs consistent with this approach.&#8221;
The report said the inspector general&#8217;s team determined that &#8220;many&#8221; of the informants provided &#8220;relevant&#8221; information related to the January 6 electoral certification and a few also gave details about the riot as it occurred. Information provided included particulars related to the Oath Keepers, some of whom were later found guilty of <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/four-additional-oath-keepers-sentenced-seditious-conspiracy-related-us-capitol-breach" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seditious conspiracy</a> and sentenced to prison.
Still, the report said the information was &#8220;no more specific than, and was consistent with, other sources of information&#8221; about the potential for violence on January 6. And, the inspector general&#8217;s team noted, a review of FBI field offices did not &#8220;identify any potentially critical intelligence related to a possible attack on the Capitol on January 6 that had not been provided to law enforcement stakeholders&#8221; prior to that day.
The watchdog said it found no evidence the FBI had undercover employees in the &#8220;protest crowds&#8221; or at the Capitol on January 6, which FBI officials stressed would have been against the bureau&#8217;s policy with regard to First Amendment-protected events &#8220;absent some investigative authority.&#8221; A Washington Field Office official told the inspector general&#8217;s team he denied a request to have an undercover employee &#8220;engage in investigative activity&#8221; on that day.
One issue raised by the watchdog was that some of the intelligence obtained by informants was not &#8220;adequately shared&#8221; with the Washington Field Office or, if it was shared, was not sufficiently followed up on by the office. In its recommendations, the inspector general advised the FBI to &#8220;assess&#8221; how it prepares for &#8220;potential domestic security issues&#8221; that are not designated National Special Security Events to help ensure &#8220;clarity&#8221; of responsibilities.
The FBI, in its response, said it &#8220;continues to disagree&#8221; with some of the &#8220;factual assertions&#8221; in the watchdog&#8217;s report, but said it accepted the recommendation. It also noted that the Department of Homeland Security has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-ratchet-up-security-for-electoral-vote-certification-on-january-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">designated</a> the 2025 certification as a National Special Security Event, which was not the case in 2021, but was &#8220;nonetheless committed&#8221; to assessing policies and procedures for further events that do not receive such a ratcheted-up level of security.

Protesters in front of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 20201.

IG Says FBI Had Dozens Of Informants In D.C. On Jan 6, Including In Capitol

2020 Election

Inspector general

More Americans now believe that former President Donald Trump was merely “exercising his right to contest the [2020] election” than they did a few years ago, while fewer believe he “went so far that he threatened American democracy,” according to a newly-released survey.
More Americans still believe the latter over the former, but the gap between the two beliefs has closed in recent years, according to the latest New York Times/Siena National <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/10/27/us/elections/times-siena-poll-toplines.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> on the question. This same poll has asked registered voters the question since at least July 2022, and since then, voters have shifted toward the belief that Trump had every right to contest the election and away from the belief that he threatened democracy.
When the question was asked in early July 2022, 39% of respondents said they thought Trump was exercising his right, while 55% said he threatened democracy. This was more than a year after the events of January 6, 2021, when Trump supporters entered the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop then-Vice President Mike Pence from certifying the 2020 election results as questions about the validity of the ballots remained.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
Now, however, the number of people who believe Trump was just exercising his rights has risen to 46%, while the number who believe he threatened democracy has dropped to 49%. The number of people who said they were unsure or refused to answer has also dropped nearly in half, from 7% in July 2022 to just 4% now.
The latest poll with the question was conducted just after news broke that former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney had communicated with an anti-Trump January 6 hearing witness. Cheney, then representing Wyoming, communicated with the “star witness” of the hearing behind the witness’ attorney’s back, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/liz-cheney-communicated-with-anti-trump-j6-witness-behind-her-lawyers-back" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The initial communication was facilitated by then-Trump strategic communications director Alyssa Farah Griffin, but Cheney later communicated directly with the witness, Cassidy Hutchison.
“Cheney interacted with the witness, former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, through ex-Trump strategic communications director Alyssa Farah Griffin — and later directly — in an effort to compel further testimony …” the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/10/15/us-news/ex-rep-liz-cheney-talked-to-jan-6-committee-star-witness-behind-lawyers-back-damning-texts-show/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
“Though she worked behind the scenes to obtain Hutchinson’s juiciest allegations in 2022, some of which were <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/11/us-news/house-gop-report-debunks-ex-trump-aide-cassidy-hutchinson-testimony-to-jan-6-panel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">later found to be false</a>, Cheney never mentioned the backchannel talks with Hutchinson or Griffin in her book ‘<a href="https://r.nypostlink.com/?btn_ref=org-19984c113c692001&amp;btn_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOath-Honor-Warning-Liz-Cheney%2Fdp%2F0316572063%3Ftag%3Dnypost-20%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fnypost.com%2F2024%2F10%2F15%2Fus-news%2Fex-rep-liz-cheney-talked-to-jan-6-committee-star-witness-behind-lawyers-back-damning-texts-show%2F%26asc_source%3Dweb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oath and Honor</a>’ about the riot,” the Post added.
The conversations between Hutchinson and Griffin began two months before the hearing began. Hutchinson’s communications with Cheney started three days before the hearing.

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Newly-released texts show ex-Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), an outspoken opponent of former President Trump, communicated with the House January 6 Select Committee’s “star witness,” former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, unbeknownst to Hutchinson’s attorney, Stefan Passantino.
The communication was facilitated by ex-Trump strategic communications director Alyssa Farah Griffin but later included direct communication between Hutchinson and Cheney herself, according to the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight investigating the January 6 committee. “Cheney interacted with the witness, former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, through ex-Trump strategic communications director Alyssa Farah Griffin — and later directly — in an effort to compel further testimony &#8230;” The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/10/15/us-news/ex-rep-liz-cheney-talked-to-jan-6-committee-star-witness-behind-lawyers-back-damning-texts-show/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Ex-Rep. Liz Cheney talked to Jan. 6 committee ‘star witness’ Cassidy Hutchinson behind lawyer’s back, damning texts show <a href="https://t.co/AkLcL0YauO">https://t.co/AkLcL0YauO</a> <a href="https://t.co/pEXmDdVcCo">pic.twitter.com/pEXmDdVcCo</a>
&mdash; New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1846358510239400434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
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WITNESS TAMPERING: Former Rep. Liz Cheney reportedly began secretly communicating with a January 6th Committee witness without informing the witness&#39;s lawyer—an clear ethical violation that could cost Cheney her law license. More concerning than the ethical breach, however, is… <a href="https://t.co/pk5Hw9j8J1">pic.twitter.com/pk5Hw9j8J1</a>
&mdash; @amuse (@amuse) <a href="https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1846355118855438729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
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“Though she worked behind the scenes to obtain Hutchinson’s juiciest allegations in 2022, some of which were <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/11/us-news/house-gop-report-debunks-ex-trump-aide-cassidy-hutchinson-testimony-to-jan-6-panel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">later found to be false</a>, Cheney never mentioned the backchannel talks with Hutchinson or Griffin in her book ‘<a href="https://r.nypostlink.com/?btn_ref=org-19984c113c692001&amp;btn_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOath-Honor-Warning-Liz-Cheney%2Fdp%2F0316572063%3Ftag%3Dnypost-20%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fnypost.com%2F2024%2F10%2F15%2Fus-news%2Fex-rep-liz-cheney-talked-to-jan-6-committee-star-witness-behind-lawyers-back-damning-texts-show%2F%26asc_source%3Dweb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oath and Honor</a>’ about the riot,” the Post added.
The texts between Hutchinson, who claimed she could offer more information to the committee, and Griffin began in April 2022; the hearings started two months later. On April 28, 2022, Griffin told Hutchinson that Cheney had concerns about Cheney&#8217;s own communication with Hutchinson, writing, “Her one concern was so long ad [sic] you have counsel, she can’t really ethically talk to you without him.”
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1729077615157000&amp;usg=AOvVaw17Kprl74oE9DYOLREdiBPU">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ COMING TO DAILYWIRE+ OCT. 28</a>
On June 6, 2022, Hutchinson sent a text message to Cheney, writing, “Hi, this is Cassidy Hutchinson. I&#8217;m sorry for reaching out this way, but I was hoping to have a private conversation with you (soon) if you are willing.” Cheney texted back, &#8220;I would be happy to. Let me know what time works for you.”
“I&#8217;m free all day for a call or in-person, whichever you prefer. I really, really appreciate this,” Cheney wrote back.  That was three days before the January 6 hearings began. The Post reported that “around the same time, Hutchinson rejected Stefan Passantino as her counsel.”
The Oversight Subcommittee headed by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) “accused Cheney of using Passantino as a ‘scapegoat’ — and trying to get him debarred — in order to explain away the differences between Hutchinson’s earlier testimonies and subsequent testimonies,” the Post asserted.
During her testimony, Hutchinson, who was an aide to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, claimed that she was told by White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Anthony Ornato that Trump shouted: “I’m the f***ing president! Take me up to the Capitol now!” and “lunged” to seize the steering wheel from his driver to join the January 6 protesters. The subcommittee report <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/11/us-news/house-gop-report-debunks-ex-trump-aide-cassidy-hutchinson-testimony-to-jan-6-panel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> Ornato “testified that the first time he had ever heard the story Hutchinson claims Ornato told her on January 6, was during Hutchinson’s public testimony.”
The Secret Service agent driving the SUV also denied the story’s veracity. “The driver testified that he specifically refuted the version of events as recounted by Hutchinson,” the report stated, “The driver of the SUV testified that he ‘did not see him reach [redacted]. [President Trump] never grabbed the steering wheel. I didn’t see him, you know, lunge to try to get into the front seat at all.’”
The oversight subcommittee report also noted that the January 6 select committee “hid the driver’s full testimony and only favorably mentioned his testimony in its Final Report, it did not release the full transcript.”

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