Tonight the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol will convene its eighth public hearing where investigators will pore over a gutwrenching 187-minutes of former President Donald Trump’s dereliction during the Capitol attack.
Tonight’s hearing will start at 8 p.m. ET and it is expected to be the final public hearing. However, committee chairman Bennie Thompson has emphasized repeatedly in recent days that should another hearing be warranted, investigators are open to conducting it. For now, the plan for panel members is to continue interviews and collecting evidence as they barrel toward publishing an interim report in September. A final report will follow though details on that deadline are not yet clear. Thompson has indicated that he is eager to wrap things up before November midterms.
Witnesses expected Thursday night include two former White House officials who submitted their resignation on the day of the attack: Matthew Pottinger and Sarah Matthews. Pottinger is a former U.S. Marine and journalist who later served on Trump’s National Security Council. Matthews served as the White House deputy press secretary.
More on tonight’s witnesses is available in the related story links below. The committee is expected to air additional testimony from former White House lawyer Pat Cipollone and it is anticipated that more will be exposed regarding Trump’s surreal video message that he issued hours after the Capitol was stormed. Outtakes from the video—which reportedly required at least three takes before it was deemed publicly acceptable—are expected to be shown. Reps. Adam Kinzinger and Elaine Luria will lead the hearing tonight and Thompson, who was stricken with COVID-19 will appear remotely.
Catch a live stream here on our blog. Additional updates tonight will also be posted here.
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Friday, Jul 22, 2022 · 1:14:47 AM +00:00
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Brandi Buchman
Pottinger testified that Trump’s tweet was akin to fuel being poured on a fire. He didn’t want to be a part of it any more, a notable point considering that he gushed earlier tonight about his pride working in the Trump administration before Jan. 6.
Matthews was unequivocal too Thursday night, telling investigators that Trump was giving the greenlight to the rioters to attack them with that tweet.
Friday, Jul 22, 2022 · 1:18:16 AM +00:00
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Brandi Buchman
Trump White House Security officials offered testimony tonight that was riveting and tragic.
The situation had deteriorated so quickly. There was no response from Trump.
“They were running out of options,” the security official said, recalling the vice president and lawmakers and staff who were under attack.
They were asking for calls to be made where they could say goodbye to their family members. These memories, the official said, still haunt them today.
Friday, Jul 22, 2022 · 1:23:13 AM +00:00
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Brandi Buchman
There was also a pointed note from Rep. Luria aimed at Sen. Josh Hawley. She showed the now famous picture of him giving a fist pump to the crowd of Trump’s supporters, extremists and soon-to-be rioters. Something he did while he was safely protected behind police barriers.
But when it got down to it and the rioters had started to storm the building, the committee aired security footage tonight of Hawley fleeing inside, running at an awkward gait to get away from Trump’s mob.
Friday, Jul 22, 2022 · 1:59:14 AM +00:00
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April Siese
The Jan. 6 committee showed unedited footage of Trump’s “go home” speech in which the former president refused to stick to a script. Allies of the then-president said the White House was “emotionally drained” and thought the riot at the Capitol was ultimately over.
Friday, Jul 22, 2022 · 2:09:10 AM +00:00
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Brandi Buchman
Trump’s personal assistant Nick Luna would testify to the committee that Trump’s tweet sent at 6:01 p.m. where he said “these are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously and viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly and unfairly treated for so long.