Who is Cassidy Hutchinson? Grand jury declines to indict the former White House aide who testified against Trump over Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot

A federal grand jury on Tuesday (Oct. 27) refused to indict former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson on criminal charges, NBC reported citing officials. Prosecutors were attempting to indict Hutchinson for statements she had made about President Donald Trump's actions on and around Jan. 6, 2021, the day the US Capitol was attacked. The grand jury in Washington returned a "no bill," meaning that it had rejected the Justice Department’s effort to indict Hutchinson.

The Justice Department’s investigation had revolved around Hutchinson’s testimony before the now-defunct Democratic-led Congressional Jan. 6 committee in 2022.

What does Trump say about Hutchinson?

Hutchinson's case was brought by officials in the Civil Rights Division, which is headed by Harmeet Dhillon, a Trump appointee. However, the grand jury declining to indict Hutchinson does not stop the Justice Department from trying to charge her again.

Trump has described Hutchinson as a "scam artist", suggesting that she be prosecuted. "What is the Justice Department going to do about this?" he had written on the Truth Social platform in 2022.

Earlier this year, Trump had posted a link to an article about House Republicans referring her to the Justice Department for prosecution.

What is known about Hutchinson?

Hutchinson had been a senior aide to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. She had previously worked in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs and interned for several Republican leaders, including Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.

She had testified to the committee about Trump's behavior in the days leading up to the Jan. 6 assault on the US Capitol and during the riot.

What did Hutchinson testify?

She testified Trump had urged that metal detectors be removed from the area near the White House where he was speaking on Jan. 6, 2021. She quoted him as saying that attendees were "not here to hurt me" and "I don't f***ing care that they have weapons."

Hutchinson also testified that Trump was determined to reach the Capitol on Jan. 6 and that a Secret Service official told her that Trump had grabbed for the steering wheel of the presidential car and the throat of one of his bodyguards who refused to drive him to the Capitol. Secret Service officials have denied that account.

Trump continues to try to rewrite the narrative around the Jan. 6 Capitol riot during the presidential vote certification. He also pardoned the rioters, including those convicted of attacking law enforcement officers, on the first day of his second term last year.