Former Rep. Liz Cheney, while serving as vice chairwoman of the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot, is facing questions over her secret communications with a key witness in the investigation.
Evidence obtained by congressional investigators and Just the News reveals Cheney used the encrypted app Signal to communicate directly with Cassidy Hutchinson, a witness in the investigation, as well as indirectly through Hutchinson’s friend, Alyssa Farah Griffin. These communications, which took place in June 2022, are raising concerns about potential ethical violations in the Democrat-led inquiry.
At the time, Hutchinson was represented by attorney Stefan Passantino, who told Just the News he was unaware of Cheney’s contact with his client and did not authorize the communication. Cheney’s communication may have violated legal ethics rules in Washington, D.C., where she is a licensed attorney.
The D.C. Bar rules explicitly state that a lawyer may not communicate with a person represented by another attorney without that lawyer’s consent.
Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), chairman of the House Administration oversight subcommittee, raised concerns that Cheney may have influenced Hutchinson’s testimony and led her to switch lawyers.
“Our investigation has uncovered unethical back-channel communications between former Rep. Liz Cheney and Cassidy Hutchinson just before Hutchinson changed her sworn testimony,” Loudermilk said. “Not only is communicating with a witness without their attorney present unethical, it undermines the integrity of an investigation.”
According to Loudermilk’s subcommittee, Hutchinson fired her attorney, Passantino, shortly after these secret communications began and retained new lawyers, recommended by Cheney, to represent her pro bono.
Hutchinson later credited Cheney with helping her find new legal representation in her memoir, where she described Cheney’s assistance as “one of the greatest gifts I could have received: hope.”
The timeline of these communications has also raised red flags.
