As we've previously reported, Cassidy Hutchinson's testimony before the Jan. 6 Committee continues to unravel. Her testimony that she claimed that the President Donald Trump grabbed the wheel of The Beast was contradicted by the Committee's assertion that it occurred within the Suburban. The Committee could not keep the narrative straight.
Then Hutchinson stated to the Committee that she had composed a note to the former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, which Trump lawyer Eric Herschmann said he wrote. Herschmann was previously a witness before the Committee and said that he had written the note. They were unable to keep it straight. However, what may have sunk her was the fact that Secret Service agent Tony Ornato claimed that he had not spoken to her and claimed the incident didn't happen. The agent was also with Bobby Engel — the other agent involved — and Engel is also said to be ready to prove that it did not happen.
It would be a shame if the Committee did not bother to verify the claim before releasing it in the public, again trying to denigrate Trump. However, the Secret Service has also said precisely the same thing -they claim that the Committee did not contact them to confirm this after the Committee received the information from Hutchinson. In addition, it appears that the Secret Service said their agents were willing to testify, but they had not been contacted. Therefore, the Committee isn't adamant to bring the agents back on the witness stand. Why? because their story could be shown to be false?
On Wednesday, CNN's Jake Tapper asked Jan. 6 Committee member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) what proof the Committee was able to provide before throwing this to the general public. Raskin's reply was something behold. Tapper will do all possible to get softballs for Raskin even stating that he was certain that Ornato had told Hutchinson the tale (you could want to reconsider this one, Jake). However, it's difficult to come up with an even more unsettling response than what Raskin provided. He had no corroboration. What a pathetic performance that was coming from him.
Here are the remarks of Raskin that are interspersed with media reports of things Bobby Engel and Tony Ornato have been alleged to be declaring.
Raskin states that he wasn't part of one of the interviews, therefore he “can't say.” As a Committee member who is releasing information like this “bombshell” from Hutchinson, don’t you know what you have already? In reality, you're missing nothing. This is more revealing than the denials made by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) earlier in the day, since it confirms that they couldn't even bother to verify the details they were given. He claims that he's “not aware” of anything which contradicts the information that he made. However, it appears that he's not aware of any evidence to support it as well.
Raskin says that anyone who is interested is able to give evidence.
However, this isn't the case. The Committee needs to inquire about the agents. Agents have stated that they're ready and willing.
