Cipollone, whom many former administration officials attribute to having helped prevent Trump from taking legally questionable actions during the months surrounding the 2020 presidential election, has long been considered a key witness by the committee. He has been reluctant to talk further with the committee after having previously sat in a closed-door interview.
During the last public hearings, members of the court have publicly pressured Cipollone to testify. The committee is now taking the step to issue a summons in an effort to force its formal cooperation.
Mississippi Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, chair of the panel, and Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, vice chair of the panel, said in a statement that “the select committee’s investigation has revealed evidence that Mr. Cipollone has repeatedly raised legal concerns. and others on President Trump’s situation: activities on January 6 and the days before. ”
“While the select committee appreciates Mr. Cipollone’s previous informal commitment to our investigation, the committee must listen to his record, as other former White House councilors have done in other congressional investigations,” he said. the couple continued. “Any concerns Mr. Cipollone has about the institutional prerogatives of the position he previously held are clearly offset by the need for his testimony.”
Witnesses who have testified before the court have repeatedly mentioned Cipollone as someone who can shed light on key events within Trump’s White House until January 6, 2021 and beyond. in the office of then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, demanding a meeting with Trump, Meadows assistant Cassidy Hutchinson told the Jan. 6 committee this week.
“I remember Pat saying something to him with the effect of,‘ the rioters have arrived at the Capitol. We have to go down and see the president now, ”Hutchinson said in a videotaped interview.
“And Mark looked at him and said,‘ You don’t want to do anything, Pat, ’” he said.
Cipollone, Hutchinson added, stressed to Meadows the need to act to control the situation in Meadows. He said Cipollone “said it very clearly to Mark, something with the effect of,” Mark, something needs to be done or people will die and the blood will be in your fucking hands. This is coming out. control. I’m going down there. ”
Meadows then handed over his phones to Hutchinson and left his office with Cipollone, Hutchinson told the committee.
Cheney tweeted Wednesday before the citation was announced that “as we heard yesterday, WH attorney Pat Cipollone had major concerns about Trump’s activities on Jan. 6. It’s time for Mr. Cipollone to testify in the minutes. Any concerns you have about the institutional interests of your previous position are offset by the need for your testimony. “
This story is being broken and will be updated.