WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury declined Tuesday to indict Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide who became a prominent witness in the congressional investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, a senior government official told NBC News.
The Justice Department had sought charges related to statements Hutchinson made during her 2022 testimony to the House committee investigating the attack. The grand jury returned a “no bill,” meaning it did not approve an indictment. The department could still pursue the case again.
Hutchinson’s attorneys and the Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to NBC News.
Hutchinson served as a senior aide to then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. In her testimony, she described President Donald Trump’s conduct before and during the riot, including his response to security measures at a rally and his reported desire to travel to the Capitol.
She also relayed an account she said came from a Secret Service official: that Trump had tried to take control of the presidential vehicle and grabbed at a security agent after being told he would not be driven to the Capitol. Secret Service personnel later disputed that account. Hutchinson has maintained that her testimony was truthful.
Trump has repeatedly criticized Hutchinson and called for her to face prosecution, alleging that she lied under oath. The grand jury’s decision is not a ruling on the accuracy of her testimony; it means prosecutors did not persuade the panel to authorize charges at this time.
The case adds to a series of reported grand jury rejections involving investigations of people Trump has described as political opponents. The Justice Department has also pursued cases involving public figures including Sen. Adam Schiff, former CIA Director John Brennan, New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey, all of whom have denied wrongdoing.
According to NBC News, prosecutors made multiple unsuccessful attempts to obtain an indictment against James after an earlier case was dismissed on technical grounds. The administration also sought charges against six Democratic members of Congress over a video advising military and intelligence personnel not to follow unlawful orders; those efforts were unsuccessful.
Hutchinson’s case was handled by officials in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, which is led by Trump appointee Harmeet Dhillon. A person familiar with the investigation told NBC News that a grand jury heard evidence in the case earlier this month.
The outcome is likely to intensify debate over the independence of federal law enforcement and the use of prosecution against political figures. For now, the grand jury’s refusal leaves Hutchinson without an indictment in the matter.
