The DOJ Is Weighing Perjury Charges Against Cassidy Hutchinson

Federal prosecutors are currently considering potential perjury and obstruction charges against Cassidy Hutchinson, who testified about President Donald Trump's involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The Justice Department is targeting Hutchinson, a former aide to former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, though an indictment is not expected before the midterms, the sources say.

Hutchinson's testimony implicated Trump, stating he encouraged supporters to march to the Capitol despite knowing many were armed. She also testified about an alleged altercation between Trump and a Secret Service agent during the incident. However, the Secret Service denies any such incident, and former Trump White House counsel Eric Herschmann claims to have written a statement on a notecard for Trump to release during the riot, which Hutchinson has disputed.

Prosecutors have been examining how Hutchinson's testimony has changed compared to her interviews with the committee and Smith's team. They are also investigating her claim of having a notecard for Trump's statement, which contradicts Herschmann's account. It is unclear if prosecutors will pursue both perjury and obstruction charges.

Hutchinson has remained relatively silent since publishing her memoir in 2023. This case is part of the broader DOJ pursuit of political adversaries, with Trump firing former Attorney General Pam Bondi in April partly for moving too slowly on such cases. Some Justice officials are skeptical about the viability of a perjury charge against Hutchinson, given the high bar for successfully prosecuting such cases.