Daily Mail
· collected 2026-10-08 · by Breanne Deppisch, Jon Michael Raasch
The Justice Department is seeking a federal criminal indictment against Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide, for allegedly lying to Congress about President Donald Trump’s actions during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Prosecutors from DOJ's Civil Rights Division are presenting evidence to a grand jury; Hutchinson testified in 2022 that she would invoke her Fifth Amendment right if compelled to testify again. The case stems from an investigation initiated by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this year.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-08,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
DOJ has initiated an investigation into Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to President Trump, for allegedly lying during her testimony before the House Jan. 6 Committee in June 2022. A federal grand jury was empaneled earlier this week as part of this probe under the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. The committee heard damaging accounts from Hutchinson about Trump's actions leading up to and during the January 6, 2021 riot at the US Capitol. Despite the serious nature of these allegations, Hutchinson has not yet received a subpoena to appear before the grand jury according to Punchbowl News. This investigation marks an unprecedented expansion of the Civil Rights Division’s usual focus on civil rights violations into investigating congressional testimony and potential obstruction of justice cases involving high-profile political figures.
Written for “Jan 6 Investigation Hutchinson” on 2026-10-08,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning: leans left for article 66680 (medium confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-10-08
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The Justice Department is seeking a federal criminal indictment of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson on charges of lying to Congress about President Donald Trump's actions during the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riot.
asserted
Department → sign → riot
Cassidy Hutchinson, 29, famously implicated Trump in her testimony before investigators on the House January 6 Committee.
asserted
Hutchinson → implicate → Committee
She testified in 2022 that Trump appeared unconcerned about reports that some of his supporters were armed, allegedly saying that they were 'not here to hurt me,' and 'lunged' at the Secret Service agent driving his limo away from the Capitol.
uncertain
they → testify → Capitol
The Justice Department opened a federal criminal investigation into Hutchinson earlier this year, as the Daily Mail previously reported - a probe initiated by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi just weeks before she departed the agency.
asserted
she → open → agency
The news that the Justice Department is seeking a federal indictment was first reported by Punchbowl News.
asserted
Department → seek → News
Prosecutors for DOJ's Civil Rights Division, led by Trump ally Harmeet Dhillon, are overseeing the case, and began presenting evidence to a federal grand jury earlier this week.
asserted
Prosecutors → lead → jury
They are expected to present additional evidence and witnesses later this month, though Hutchinson herself has reportedly not been subpoenaed to appear before the grand jury.
uncertain
Hutchinson → expect → jury
Hutchinson acknowledged she is the target of a federal criminal investigation late last month.
asserted
she → acknowledge → investigation
Cassidy Hutchinson, a top aide to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, is sworn in to testify about the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol
A mob of supporters of President Donald Trump fight with members of law enforcement at the site of a door they broke open at the entrance of the US Capitol
President Donald Trump, then-Attorney General Pam Bondi and then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche hold a press conference
Hutchinson said last month that she plans to invoke her Fifth Amendment right if she is compelled to testify.
That DOJ's Civil Rights Division is handling the case is notable, and comes as the division - which traditionally focused on race, sex, age, religion and other forms of illegal discrimination - has largely overhauled its mission during Trump's second presidential term, and under Dhillion's leadership.
asserted
which → swear → leadership
Attorney General Todd Blanche also signaled willingness to continue with the probe, telling reporters earlier this year that Trump had 'the right' and 'the duty' to call for investigations into individuals who have broken the law.
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who → signal → law
Congressman Barry Loudermilk, who chairs the House Republicans' still-active January 6 Committee, sent DOJ a criminal referral in March urging it to investigate Hutchinson.
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who → chair → Hutchinson
Loudermilk has accused Hutchinson, who previously served as an aide to Trump's first-term White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, of lying to Congress in the testimony.
asserted
who → accuse → testimony
Hutchinson alleged that Trump knew about the potential violence January 6 protesters could unleash, but urged them on to the US Capitol regardless.
uncertain
protesters → allege → Capitol
She also stated that she'd heard, secondhand, that an 'irate' Trump lunged at a Secret Service agent after his presidential limo was driven away from the US Capitol, against his wishes, and said he 'reached up towards the front of the vehicle to grab at the steering wheel.'
When the agent rebuffed him, she said, Trump lunged at the agent himself.
asserted
Trump → state → agent
Trump has denied the incident, and the limo driver who had been operating the vehicle disputed her testimony.
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who → deny → testimony
The Justice Department declined to comment on the indictment.
asserted
Department → decline → indictment
An attorney for Hutchinson did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment.
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attorney → respond → comment