Federal grand jury declines to indict former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson

A federal grand jury in Washington has rejected an attempt by the United States Justice Department to indict former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson on criminal charges. UPI, The Guardian, and PBS NewsHour reported that the grand jury returned a non-concurrence on Tuesday, declining to approve prosecutors' request for an indictment. [1][3][4]

A attorney for the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department told a judge on Tuesday that the grand jury rejected the proposed indictment. The Guardian and PBS NewsHour noted that the decision follows testimony Hutchinson provided to a House committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol. [1][3][4]

A grand jury is empowered by law to examine potential criminal conduct and decide whether criminal charges should be brought. As FTMQ News reported earlier, a grand jury in Washington had been hearing evidence to determine whether Hutchinson made false statements during her 2022 testimony to the House January 6 committee. Hutchinson previously served as an assistant to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. [1][12][14]

PBS NewsHour reported that the grand jury decision represents the latest setback for the Justice Department in its efforts to prosecute perceived adversaries of Donald Trump. [4]