A new report has revealed that key Republican lawmakers chose not to subpoena former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson during their investigation into the events of January 6, 2021, allegedly to avoid the exposure of compromising personal messages. Aides to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) reportedly discouraged efforts to call Hutchinson to testify, citing concerns that sexually explicit messages from certain lawmakers to Hutchinson could become public.
The revelation comes as Johnson, who recently revived the GOP-led inquiry into the Capitol events, faces scrutiny over the direction and intent of the investigation. Johnson’s office also actively advised Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), who was leading a parallel investigation, against issuing a subpoena to Hutchinson.
The reasoning was that calling Hutchinson to testify could allow her to recount her previous claims and risk embarrassing Trump allies in Congress. Sources familiar with the internal GOP deliberations told The Washington Post that Loudermilk initially considered subpoenaing Hutchinson, believing she might have additional insights into the committee’s Democratic-led investigation.
Prior to a meeting, however, an aide to Johnson informed Loudermilk’s team that various colleagues had voiced concerns to the speaker’s office regarding the likelihood of “sexual texts from members who were trying to engage in sexual favors” with Hutchinson becoming public, as evidenced by correspondence from that period which documented the discussion.
A member of Johnson’s team conveyed to Loudermilk’s aides that Hutchinson, who was an assistant to then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, might disclose “potentially embarrassing information,” as noted in an email examined by The Post and confirmed by two other sources.
Hutchinson gained national attention in 2022 when she testified before the January 6 Committee, making a series of allegations about former President Donald Trump’s actions on that day—many of which have since been thoroughly debunked. Despite these inconsistencies, Democrats and mainstream media outlets have continued to champion her testimony.
Speaker Johnson addressed the issue during a press conference on Thursday, downplaying the decision to avoid Hutchinson’s testimony. Despite his assurances, critics argue that avoiding a subpoena for Hutchinson may signal that certain members of Congress were more concerned with protecting themselves than pursuing the whole truth about what transpired on January 6.
Some within the GOP have also expressed their frustration with the decision, arguing that the investigation should leave no stone unturned.
Cassidy Hutchinson when she testified on 2022-06-28
In response to an inquiry from The Post, Hutchinson’s attorney, Bill Jordan, refrained from commenting on the alleged texts and highlighted that his client has willingly cooperated with the investigation. “Ms. Hutchinson has testified truthfully and stands behind every word despite the efforts of men in powerful positions to attack her,” said Jordan.
Hutchinson, a former aide to Mark Meadows, became a key witness in the January 6 investigation, providing detailed testimony about President Trump’s actions. Reports revealed that former Rep. Liz Cheney also directly contacted Hutchinson without her attorney’s knowledge, raising ethical concerns. Cheney reportedly recommended new legal counsel for Hutchinson, after which her testimony became more detailed, including claims that were later disputed.
Notably, Hutchinson alleged that Trump lunged for the steering wheel to go to the Capitol, a claim contradicted by others. In response, a House Republican panel has called for a federal criminal investigation into Cheney for potential witness tampering. Cheney has denied any wrongdoing.
Rep. Loudermilk, who was recently appointed to chair a new select subcommittee tasked with continuing the January 6 investigation, declined to comment directly on whether concerns about lawmakers’ personal messages contributed to the decision to forgo Hutchinson’s testimony.
He said, “I have no idea,” when questioned about whether he knew of any members who had sent personal messages to Hutchinson.
