Aide says US Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona asked for pardon following Jan. 6 attack
Jun 23, 2022, 5:29 PM | Updated: 5:59 pm
(Jason Andrew/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
(Jason Andrew/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
PHOENIX — U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona asked for a presidential pardon following the Jan. 6 attack of the U.S. Capitol, a former aide to Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff said during testimony shown Thursday.
Cassidy Hutchinson, who served as an aide for Mark Meadows, testified she personally heard from Biggs about requesting a pardon.
“Mr. Biggs did,” Hutchinson said.
Former aides of then-President Donald Trump say GOP lawmakers sought presidential pardons after the attack on the U.S. Capitol during Day 5 of the Jan. 6 committee hearings. https://t.co/BgG7aQdkrG pic.twitter.com/sC0qto0toY
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 23, 2022
Biggs and five other House Republicans sought the pardons from Trump that would shield them from criminal prosecution, according to testimony.
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Blanket pardons for all those involved in Jan. 6 were also discussed, according to another White House aide, John McEntee.
Biggs denied asking for a pardon.
“Like the many selective leaks from this illegally formed committee, today’s video testimony from Ms. Hutchinson was deceptively edited to make it appear as if I personally asked her for a presidential pardon,” Biggs said in a statement.
The House Jan. 6 committee in May sent a letter to Biggs requesting a meeting.
Biggs declined the invitation while comparing the committee’s investigation to the Salem witch trials.
“The committee has been a sham since its origins,” he said. “Its entire purpose is to destroy President Trump and his supporters, intimidate members of Congress, and distract Americans from real issues that are destroying this country.”
Thursday’s hearing, the fifth this month by the panel probing the assault on the Capitol, made clear that Trump’s sweeping pressure campaign targeted not only statewide election officials but also his own executive branch agencies.
The witnesses solemnly described the constant contact from the president as an extraordinary breach of protocol, especially since the Justice Department has long cherished its independence from the White House and steered clear of partisan politics in investigative decisions.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
