Part XII: "Blood on Your F**king Hands."

“Blood on Your F**king Hands.”

__________

“I don’t know, things might get real, real bad on January 6.” 

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

__________ 

Cassidy Hutchinson.

 

The sixth January 6 hearing was a surprise on several  levels. First, there was only a single witness called to testify live. Cassidy Hutchinson, then 26, was former top aide to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Second, the hearing was scheduled suddenly – as if some emergency had occurred. 

As we learned in the end, an emergency had: Ms. Hutchinson was a target of intensifying witness intimidation. 

(Please note, MAGA fans: She testifies under oath.) 

(Compare with Trump, who “took the Fifth” 440 times in one trial.)  

 

“Potentially dangerous for our democracy.” 

Like many of the other two-dozen main witnesses called, Ms. Hutchinson had been a dependable member of the administration from the outset. Following Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election, however, she saw a president spiraling out of control. On the evening of January 2, 2021, she talked briefly with Rudy Giuliani – speaking of spiraling out of control! Trump, he said, planned to go to the Capitol on January 6, after he gave his “Stop the Steal” rally speech. There, he hoped to speak again. He might appear on the floor of the House of Representatives or the Senate. Rudy wasn’t sure, but said the president would appear “very powerful” if he did. 

Hutchinson told committee members that was the first time she was “scared.” She brought those fears up in conversation with Meadows. “Cass,” he replied, “I don’t know, things might get real, real bad [emphasis added, unless otherwise noted] on January 6.” 

Hutchinson testified that she had talked to John Ratcliffe, the Director of National Intelligence, and expressed her concern. He, too, was troubled. He told her that he wanted no part of the post-election machinations in the White House. January 6, he said, could be “dangerous to the president’s legacy,” and events might explode in chaos. The plan that was shaping up, pushed by the president’s most rabid supporters, Ratcliffe added, was “potentially dangerous for our democracy.” 

The first shock of the day came when Hutchinson outlined the clear warnings the White House received in the days leading up to the riot. There were plans afoot, among radical right-wing groups, to occupy multiple buildings in Washington D.C. On January 4 there was a warning that “Congress itself is a target.” 

 

Robert O’Brien, the president’s National Security Advisor, called Hutchinson and asked her to relay these warnings to Meadows, which she did. 

She asked O’Brien to speak to Tony Ornato, a Secret Service agent on loan, then in charge of White House security protocols, and he did. Ornato was informed that there had been multiple, credible threats of violence. On the evening of January 5, with angry Trump supporters gathering, there were reports of armed protesters – in a city where guns are almost totally banned. 

The president himself had said that January 6 would be “wild.” By 9:00 a.m. that morning, it was clear that for once, a Trump prediction was correct. Law enforcement reported seeing a protester armed with a pitchfork, another with a Glock-style pistol on his right hip, mixed in with the crowd. There was a man with a long gun in a tree near the Washington Monument, and a group of three walking down the street with at least one carrying an AR-15. (Hutchinson’s wording was unclear, and I couldn’t be sure she meant there were three persons, and one had an AR-15, or all three did.) A report came in that at the corner of Fourteenth Street and Independence Avenue, there were people dressed for combat, complete with ballistic helmets and body armor. 

  

The most powerful man on earth does nothing. 

Frantic police radio calls from that morning were played, backing up Hutchinson’s testimony. She explained further that by 10 a.m. she knew protesters had knives, pistols, rifles, and all kinds of bear and pepper spray. 

Ornato called to warn Hutchinson that law enforcement was having trouble “stacking bodies.” They lacked manpower to control a growing crowd. She relayed the message to Mr. Meadows, who seemed unperturbed. 

It was clear, as soon as the sun came up on January 6, 2021, that trouble was brewing in the nation’s capital. You didn’t need to be a genius to figure it out. Police on the streets, Secret Service agents monitoring the situation, and White House aides like Hutchinson sensed danger. The president’s own National Security Advisor was concerned. Still, all day, Donald Trump did almost nothing to calm the situation. 

The riot may not have been part of his plan – but the chaos was – and the margin between chaos and violence is always thin. 

Say whatever you want in mitigation, for Mr. Trump. Blame Nancy Pelosi for the attack if that makes sense to you. Donald J. Trump was – on January 6, 2021 – President of the United States. That job made him the most powerful man on earth. And he did nothing to stem the violence once it erupted. 

The First Lady could have done more – if you had just given Melania a broom to swat a few rioters in the head. 

Anyway… 

 

“Every crime imaginable.” 

Meanwhile, Eric Herschmann had been warning the president’s writers to drop criticism of Vice President Pence from Trump’s planned speech later that day. To include such incendiary language, would be “foolish,” he said. Yet, the highly critical lines remained in the final draft. 

White House Chief Counsel Pat Cipollone had already expressed his concern about the president’s plan to go to the Capitol after his speech. Now, with signs of danger intensifying, he warned Hutchinson, “We’re going to get charged with every crime imaginable” if the president  marched to Capitol Hill, including “inciting a riot.” 

In months since, Mark Meadows had authored a book about his time in the Trump White House. He had said that the president had never planned to march to the Capitol on Jan. 6. When Trump called on the crowd to do so, and said he’d lead them there, Meadows said he was speaking “metaphorically,” which would not leave anyone involved open to a charge of a crime. Now Hutchinson was making clear. She herself had been misled. Trump had planned to go all along. 

Nick Luna and Max Miller, two other witnesses who testified behind closed doors, were shown on video, backing that story up. 

(To believe in Trump, you have to believe Hutchinson, Luna and Miller would all lie.) 

 

“They aren’t here to hurt me.” 

Hutchinson, Meadows, the adult Trump children, and the president, soon headed for the Ellipse, where the big stage was set up. Other speakers had warmed up the crowd. But the president was angry. The crowd – which he had said would number in the millions – was too small. It didn’t look good on TV. Secret Service agents, D.C. Metropolitan Police, and others were reporting having trouble passing thousands through metal detectors surrounding the stage. Many of those entering the venue were carrying large military-style backpacks, which took longer to search. 

Hundreds were simply stacking gear outside the fence – which worried law enforcement in itself. Trump was warned. Many supporters had come to D.C. armed. He was furious because the crowd might look too small. “I don’t f**king care,” Hutchinson heard him say, “if they have weapons. They aren’t here to hurt me.” He demanded agents “take the f**king mags [magnetometers] away.” 

That request was denied. 

Hutchinson was backstage when President Trump strode to the podium and began to speak. She could not hear everything he said. Then she got an angry call from House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy. “You lied,” he exclaimed. She had assured him Trump had no plans to march to the Capitol – but now he had just said he would. Hutchinson said she had asked and been assured he would not. 

When Trump finished, Secret Service agents told him that it would not be safe. Inside “the Beast,” as the president’s heavily armored limousine is known, an angry scene allegedly played out. Hutchinson said that she was told Trump was furious. “I’m the f**king president,” he shouted. “Take me to the Capitol.” 

Many of the rioters on January 6 came dressed for war.

When Secret Service agents refused, she was told, Trump lunged at the driver and tried to grab the steering wheel. Then he grabbed at the throat of Robert Engel, another agent, who tried to force him to sit back in his seat. 

(This incident has been disputed.) 

 

Hutchinson testified further that on the evening of January 5, Meadows had asked her to arrange for him to travel to the Willard Hotel. There a “war room” had been set up by some of the Trump diehards to plan for the next day. She told him she did not think it was “a smart idea” for him to go. “I didn’t think it was appropriate,” she told the panel. As far as she knew, Meadows did not go to the hotel that night. 

What kind of people were present in the “war room” that evening, and the fateful next day? The panel laid out some of what they had learned. Those in attendance included Roger Stone, the seven-time felon. John Eastman, the mastermind of the plot to derail the counting of the electoral votes on Jan. 6, was there. So was Gen. Michael T. Flynn, one of several Trump advisors who had been advocating for the president to declare martial law and rerun elections in states where he lost. 

(White House lawyers referred to the gathering place at Willard as “Idiot Island.”) 

 

A clip of Flynn’s testimony (under threat of subpoena for criminal contempt), via video, was shown on the big screen. “Was the January 6 violence justified?” investigators asked. His lawyer and Flynn asked for a moment to confer. For 96 seconds the screen went blank. When the two men reappeared, Gen. Flynn asked for clarification. The investigator broke the question down. 

Was the violence justified “morally?” 

Flynn replied, “Fifth.” He was taking the Fifth Amendment. 

Was the violence justified “politically?” 

 “Fifth.” 

The investigator tried an even more direct approach. “Do you believe in the peaceful transition of power?” 

“Fifth.” 

 (The Flynn Plan to “win” the election.) 

 

Hutchinson testified that by 2:05 p.m. on January 6, as the crowd degenerated into a mob, and began surrounding the Capitol Building, she had a feeling of “watching a bad car wreck” play out. 

Back at the White House, where the president was still fuming, she saw Mr. Cipollone come “barreling down the hallway.” She followed him into Mr. Meadows’ office, and listened as Cipollone insisted they had to go to the president and tell him to call his supporters off. 

Meadows told Cipollone that the president didn’t want to do anything. 

“People are going to get killed,” Cipollone told Meadows, “and the blood will be on your f**king hands.” (Hutchinson never used the f-word in her testimony.) When Cipollone added that some in the mob were chanting, “Hang Mike Pence,” the White House chief of staff seemed to wash his hands. 

Trump, he replied, “thinks Mike deserves it, he doesn’t think they are doing anything wrong.” 

“This is f**king crazy,” Cipollone exploded. 

 

BLOGGER’S NOTE (March 13, 2024): One rioter was shot and killed on January 6. A second Trump supporter was trampled to death. Two people in the mob died from heart attacks. One police officer died the next day. Four officers committed suicide in weeks to come. Three rioters charged with crimes committed suicide before going to trial. 

That’s 11 dead, if you cared. 

(Trump never has.) 

 

If you didn’t watch the hearing, or you only heard Hutchinson’s testimony filtered through the lens of right-wing news, you might have thought the young woman had worked for “Fake News” CNN for years. In fact, she testified, for almost four years she had supported the president, had “always worked to show what good things he had done for the country.” Now, when Trump’s inflammatory tweet came at 2:24 p.m., she could stand it no more. That tweet read: “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!” 

 

“It was un-American” and “it was a lie.” 

“As an American,” she told the panel, “I was disgusted. It was unpatriotic, it was un-American” and “it was a lie.” 

A brief clip of Matthew Pottinger, a former Marine, and at the time of the riot Deputy National Security Advisor, was shown on the screen. He too considered the 2:24 p.m. tweet a breaking point. 

At that moment, he testified, via video, he decided he would resign. 

Even the Trump apologists at Fox News were growing alarmed, as rioters on January 6  began smashing a way inside. At 2:32 Laura Ingraham messaged Meadows, insisting, “Mark, the president needs to tell the people in the Capitol to go home.” 

At 2:53, Donald Trump Jr. contacted Meadows, and said his father had to “condemn this shit. ASAP.” 

Remember when Don Jr. met with Russians and lied about why?
On January 6, he understood who was attacking the Capitol.

A clip of Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican, was shown on the screen next. It was a video warning he sent to the president around that same time. “You’re the only person who can call this off…This is bigger than you, it’s bigger than any member of Congress, it’s about the United States of America, which is more important than any politician. Call it off. It’s over,” he said. 

But Trump did not. Meadows remained paralyzed. The seventh hearing showed that, at best, Trump ignored the chaos – at worst, that he hoped the violence would justify further extreme action. For example: He might have cover to declare martial law and thwart the work of Congress in that fashion.

 

Much remained to be seen – and even as of today – still does; but Hutchinson closed her testimony with a final bombshell of her own. She said that President Trump had considered pardoning everyone involved in the Jan. 6 attack. 

She said Giuliani had inquired about a pardon for himself. 

She said her own boss, Mark Meadows, inquired. 

(Who asks for a pardon before being charged – save those conscious of guilt?) 

 

Rep. Liz Cheney spoke next. Up on the big screen, two quotes appeared, both clearly attempts at witness intimidation. 

What they said to me is, as long as I continue to be a team player, they know that I’m on the team, I’m doing the right thing, I’m protecting who I need to protect [emphasis added], you know, I’ll continue to stay in good graces in Trump World. And they have reminded me a couple of times that Trump does read transcripts and just to keep that in mind as I proceed through my depositions and interviews with the committee.

 

[A person] let me know you have your deposition tomorrow. He wants me to let you know that he’s thinking about you. He knows you’re loyal, and you’re going to do the right thing when you go in for your deposition.

The first quote was from Hutchinson, from previous testimony, given on video, under oath. She was in position to do real damage to the former president if she told the truth and she was being pressured to cover up what she knew. 

And who was that “person,” unnamed? It was the President of the United States, Donald John Trump. 

For the reader’s edification, we provide the full list of those called to testify to that point, and add a few who testified later:

 

All are Republicans. Many worked for President Trump

 

1. Former Attorney General Bill Barr

2. Rusty Bowers, Arizona Speaker of the House

3. Alex Cannon, former Trump campaign lawyer

4. Jeffrey Clark (his testimony was shown via video, and he was shown repeatedly pleading the Fifth)

 

5. Pat Cipollone, former White House Chief Counsel

6. Laura Cox, former chair of the Michigan Republican Party

7. Brian Cutler, Pennsylvania House Majority Leader

8. Dr. John Eastman, linchpin to the plan to keep Trump in office (repeatedly pled the Fifth)

 

9. Richard Donoghue, Acting Assistant Attorney General

10. Steven Engel, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel

11. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, wanted Trump to declare martial law (repeatedly pled the Fifth)

 

12. Benjamin Ginsberg, Republican election strategist

13. Eric Herschmann, White House lawyer

14. Greg Jacob, lawyer on the staff of Vice President Pence

15. Judge J. Michael Luttig, conservative judge

16. Derek Lyons, White House lawyer, minor role as witness, did not believe election was stolen

 

17. Sarah Matthews, Assistant White House Press Secretary

18. Jason Miller, Trump advisor, reluctant witness; helped undercut the “Stolen Election” lie

 

19. Matt Morgan, chief counsel for the Trump 2020 campaign

20. Bjay Pak, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia

21. Matthew Pottinger, Deputy National Security Advisor

22. Brad Raffensperger, Georgia Secretary of State

23. Jeffrey Rosen, Acting Attorney General

 

24. Eugene Scalia, Secretary of Labor

25. Al Schmidt, member of Philadelphia election board

26. Mike Shirkey, Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate

27.  Marc Short, chief of staff for Vice President Mike Pence

28. Bill Stepien, Trump 2020 campaign manager

29. Gabriel Sterling, Georgia election officer

30. Chris Stirewalt, former Fox News election expert

 

And now: Cassidy Hutchinson made #31.

 

So, if you had listened to all the hearings you had to somehow come away, believing that 28 witnesses, who had destroyed the myth of the “Stolen Election,” had been lying – under oath. You had to further believe that three witnesses who took Trump’s side – and all repeatedly plead the Fifth (#’s 4, 8 and 11) – had nothing to hide. Jason Miller was on Trump’s side, but did not believe the election was stolen.

And you had to believe this guy (below, left) was telling the truth: 

Trump, left, Acosta, right.

 

FUN FACT: Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta (right) was forced to resign his cabinet post after an old story was revived. It turned out, he was the guy who gave Jeffrey Epstein a sweet deal, which basically kept him out of prison, and allowed him to keep molesting young girls for another decade.  

Donald Trump has never attacked Acosta publicly – whereas he always attacks people who testify against him.  

See, for example: Cassidy Hutchison.