Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone did not “contradict” the testimony of “any other” witnesses when he was interviewed Friday by members of the Jan. 6 panel, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) revealed.
But Lofgren clarified to Wolf Blitzer on CNN that Cipollone also did not necessarily “confirm” information from other witnesses — though he never said another witness was “wrong.” (See her interview on CNN below.)
In some cases he was not present so couldn’t comment, or didn’t recall an event “with precision,” said Lofgren,
Lofgren described Cipollone’s nearly eight-hour testimony as a “grueling” day because of the length of time, but said it was also “well worth it.” He answered a “whole variety of questions,” and revealed some new information, which the panel will soon share, she added.
Lofgren’s comment about Cipollone not contradicting other witnesses could be particularly relevant to bombshell testimony last week from Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. She testified that Cipollone was adamant that Trump not join protesters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, warning that if he did: “We’re going to get charged with every crime imaginable,” Hutchinson quoted him as saying.
But sources told CNN that members of the Jan. 6 panel did not specifically ask Cipollone about that portion of Hutchinson’s testimony concerning Trump going to the Capitol.
If asked, he would not have confirmed that particular statement, the sources told CNN. It wasn’t immediately clear if Cipollone wouldn’t confirm it because the statement wasn’t accurate, or he couldn’t comment because of attorney-client privilege.
Hutchinson said she also heard Cipollone telling Meadows that the mob was “literally calling for [Vice President Mike Pence] to be f-ing hung.”
When Meadows replied that Trump believes “Mike deserves it,” Hutchinson testified, Cipollone replied: “This is f-ing crazy.”
The next televised hearing held by the Jan. 6 panel is Tuesday, when Lofgren said the committee will be “connecting various dots.”