
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The answer to the headline question is any time politicians report something as a blockbuster. ; And boy, was that true of the Pelosi Select Committee’s presentation of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson. ; ; ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This was Hollywood at its best (or worst?). ; Big build up. ; Coming attraction teasers. ; Last minute leaked information. ; And the promise that this movie is going to be big, BIG Big. ; The left-wing media outlets gave it more free pre-opening promo than they did for “Top Gun.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Even FOX News got suckered into putting this super hyped session on gavel-to-gavel coverage – although I am pleased that they did. ; It is important that people actually saw the performance instead of relying on after-the-fact spin by a very biased media.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">My one take away was that should Trump or any of his top aides wind up in court, Hutchinson will not be one of the prime witnesses. ; In a real court &#8212; where there is a rule-of-law and rules-of-evidence &#8212; she would be a disaster. ; Much of what she testified to as factually accurate was hearsay – totally inadmissible in a court-of-law. ; That did not prevent the left-wing newsies taking up her statements as if they were proven facts.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The most damage to her testimony was when she related what had allegedly occurred in the presidential limousine when President Trump wanted to make an appearance on Capitol Hill. ; When told by the Secret Service that they were heading back to the White House, Hutchinson testified that Trump became irate, grabbed the steering wheel and assaulted the driver.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Three individuals with direct knowledge of the event at that time have come forward to say the Hutchinson report was untrue – both as to what occurred in the limousine and what she alleges she was told. ; They all have offered to appear before the Committee under oath.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The real shocking part of that testimony is that when Hutchinson first reported her version of the events during a deposition, the Committee never contacted the others involved to corroborate Hutchinson’s story. ; Instead, they put her on the stand claiming that her unverified testimony was a blockbuster. ; That is a prime example of the problem with one-side tribunal. ; ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">They did not want her testimony refuted. ; Maybe the Committee had hoped that the others would not come forward – would not be willing to appear under oath. ; ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That part of Hutchinson’s statements to the Committee alone casts doubt on the veracity of her entire testimony – especially when you consider that her entire testimony was her words without any supportive evidence in any case.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Most of Hutchinson’s testimony was rather insignificant in developing a criminal case – dealing mostly with bad behavior. ; Did Trump get angry in the limousine? ; Did he throw food against the wall in the White House when he learned that Attorney General William Barr publicly said there was no major election fraud? ; Those are all temperament traits. ; Good God … everyone knows that Trump has a pugnacious personality. ; Other Presidents have had temper tantrums – Lyndon Johnson was famous for them. ; George W. Bush was said to have gone off on a rage when the Secret Service would not return Air Force One to Washington on 9/11.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I would never defend Trump’s behavior, but what Hutchinson was reporting is a big nothing in terms of making a criminal case against the former President.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The most significant portion of her testimony was what she claims Trump demanded that the magnetometers put in place to check for weapons be removed so more ; people to be inside the perimeter to hear his speech.. ; Trump did not feel threatened by the crowd – noting that that they were not there to kill him.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Committee stretched this information to mean that Trump wanted the rioter to have guns.  ; They even stated that this is evidence that Trump wanted the rioters to kill Vice President Pence. ; That accusation will never hold up in a court-of-law.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The fact that virtually none of the protestors on Capitol Hill had guns – and the fact that Trump authorized the National Guard to protect the Capitol Building – suggests that Trump did not want the riot that took place. ; At least it is an arguable defense.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Committee also showed what they said were messages that suggest witness tampering. ; They said things like “We know when you appear before the committee, you will say the right things,” “we know you are a team player.” ; The Committee, however, refused to reveal who had received such a calls – and who the callers were. ; This is what inquisitions do – not fair-minded congressional committee.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Take out the hearsay … take out the unsubstantiated claims … take out compromised evidence … and what do you have? ; Not much – nothing that will not be tossed out in a court-of-law.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">What we know of Trump’s behavior on that day, we can say it was reprehensible in many ways, but the Committee is a long way from establishing criminality – and Hutchinson’s testimony was more of a dud than a blockbuster.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Democrats, their media allies, and the Committee really oversold this session in support of their case-for-the-prosecution – and they are still spinning the blockbuster narrative.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As a footnote, I would say that I do not have an inordinate interest in what happens to Trump or his aides. ; If they have committed crimes beyond a reasonable doubt, I think justice should apply. ; What does bother me a lot is how Democrats and the media cronies have attempted to use Trump to smear and malign the entire Republican Party as a campaign strategy to avoid losses in the November midterm elections. ; It is more about politics than justice.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So, There ‘tis</p>

Jan 6: When is a blockbuster not a blockbuster?
