Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows both sought pardons from Trump after the Capitol riot, ex-White House aide testifies
- Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows sought pardons for their role in the Jan. 6 riots.
- Ex-Meadows aide Cassidy Hutchinson testified to this fact at a Jan. 6 committee hearing on Tuesday.
Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide, testified on Tuesday that Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows sought pardons from President Donald Trump after the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
The detail was revealed during a public hearing conducted by the House committee investigating the January 6 siege where Hutchinson, a top aide for Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows, appeared in person for live testimony.
"Ms. Hutchinson, did Rudy Giuliani ever suggest that he was interested in receiving a presidential pardon related to January 6?" Rep. Liz Cheney asked.
"He did," Hutchinson responded.
"Ms. Hutchinson, did White House chief of staff Mark Meadows ever indicate that he was interested in receiving a presidential pardon related to January 6?" Cheney asked.
"Mr. Meadows did seek that pardon, yes ma'am," Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson also testified at the hearing and in a previous closed-door deposition that Trump and Meadows pushed for language about pardoning rioters to be included in the draft of the speech that Trump gave at the Capitol on January 7, 2021.
"Did you hear that Mr. Trump, at one point, wanted to add language about pardoning those who took part in the January 6 riot?" Cheney asked.
"I did hear that, and I understand that Mr. Meadows was encouraging that language as well," Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson previously testified that the White House counsel's office "didn't think it would be a good idea" to include talk of pardoning rioters in that speech.
The president's former lawyer and former chief of staff are the latest additions to a growing list of people close to Trump, including members of Congress, who asked for pardons based on their involvement in the events leading up to the riot.
The committee also revealed in a previous hearing that conservative legal scholar John Eastman, who played a key role in the pressure campaign targeting then-Vice President Mike Pence, emailed Giuliani on January 7, saying in part: "I've decided I should be on the pardon list, if that is still in the works."