DOJ Probes Key Trump Witness in Unusual Civil Rights Inquiry

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide and a pivotal witness against Donald Trump. The probe is being run by the DOJ's Civil Rights Division. This is a highly unusual move. Justice Department leadership directed the case to this division. The Civil Rights Division typically handles cases about abuses of rights, like police misconduct or hate crimes. The Hutchinson case appears to involve accusations of lying to Congress. Such cases are normally handled by other sections within the DOJ. Hutchinson gave critical testimony to the House committee investigating the January 6 attack. Her account directly implicated former President Trump and his top aides. The nature of the specific allegations against her in this new probe is not yet public. Legal experts note the shift to the Civil Rights Division is unexpected. It raises questions about the specific legal strategy being pursued by federal prosecutors.