Cassidy Hutchison's disputed claims about Trump's response to Jan. 6

 Washington Examiner:

The Secret Service said it will provide more information about allegations regarding former President Donald Trump on Jan. 6, 2021.

Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows who testified before the House committee investigating the attack on Tuesday, said she heard that Trump tried to grab the steering wheel of his vehicle and lunged at the head of his security detail when he was informed he could not join his supporters at the Capitol on Jan. 6.

FORMER WHITE HOUSE LAWYER CLAIMS CASSIDY HUTCHINSON DID NOT WRITE NOTE TO TRUMP ON JAN. 6: REPORT

“The Secret Service has been cooperating fully with the select committee since its inception in spring of 2021 and we will continue to do so by responding formally and on the record to the committee regarding new allegations that surfaced in today’s testimony," the Secret Service said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner.

Hutchinson said she learned of the situation from Tony Ornato, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, and Robert Engel, the special agent in charge for the Secret Service on Jan. 6. Several news outlets have since reported Engel and the driver are ready to testify that neither was assaulted by Trump and that Trump did not try to grab the steering wheel.

"Ms. Hutchinson testified, under oath, and recounted what she was told," Hutchinson's lawyer, Jody Hunt, wrote on social media. "Those with knowledge of the episode also should testify under oath.

Both Engel and Ornato have already testified to investigators on the panel, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), a member of the Jan. 6 committee, told CNN. Raskin said he was not involved in either interview and claimed he does not know if either one was asked about this incident.

...

It is pretty clear that her statements are hearsay and would have been excluded in a court setting.  Trump has denied the story and so have several Secret Service Agents. 

The allegation that a Secret Service agent restrained former President Donald Trump as he tried to take control of the wheel of his presidential SUV on Jan. 6 is farcical and absurd, a former agent told the Washington Examiner.

...

"There is not a chance in hell a Secret Service agent would put their hands on a protectee. Never," Dimitrelos said. "We would not touch them. If they decided to lunge at us or hit us, there is no retaliation."

"We would not put our hands on our protectee," he added. "That's not what we do. We're there to protect them, not to control them or to assault them."

...

Hutchison stands by her hearsay. 

However, reporters are getting a different story but those who were allegedly involved:

...

However, within hours of her testimony, multiple reporters said they were told that both Engel and the driver of the SUV are prepared to testify under oath that Trump did not grab the steering wheel or assault any agent on Jan. 6.

CNN reporter Shimon Prokupecz tweeted Tuesday that a “Secret Service official familiar with the matter told CNN that Tony Ornato denies telling Cassidy Hutchinson that the former president grabbed the steering wheel or an agent on his detail.”

NBC News reporter Peter Alexander tweeted that “a source close to the Secret Service tells me both Bobby Engel, the lead agent, and the presidential limousine/SUV driver are prepared to testify under oath that neither man was assaulted and that Mr. Trump never lunged for the steering wheel.”

...

So far, no one who was alleged in the vehicle has corroborated Hutchison's version of events. 

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