The Department of Justice has launched an investigation into Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide who turned against former President Donald Trump following the January 6 Capitol riot. According to four sources cited by the New York Times, the probe centers on Hutchinson’s testimony before the congressional January 6 committee, where she implicated Trump in the events of that day. The investigation was initiated by former Attorney General Pam Bondi just weeks before she was dismissed by Trump, in what is described as an attempt to appease the President’s desire to target his adversaries.

Bondi’s recent dismissal is partly attributed to her inability to secure convictions against Trump’s political opponents. In her final days, she launched the investigation into Hutchinson as a strategy to bolster Trump’s support. The inquiry is overseen by the DOJ’s civil rights division under Harmeet Dhillon, a known Trump supporter. Typically, this division addresses issues related to illegal discrimination based on race, sex, age, religion, and other factors. Congressman Barry Loudermilk, who leads the House Republicans’ January 6 Committee, had previously sent a criminal referral to the DOJ, urging them to investigate Hutchinson.

Loudermilk accuses Hutchinson, who once served as an aide to Trump’s first-term White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, of providing false testimony to Congress during her appearance in the summer of 2022. Hutchinson claimed that Trump was aware of the potential for violence among the January 6 protesters but still encouraged them to march on the Capitol. Additionally, she recounted secondhand information that Trump allegedly attempted to grab the steering wheel of his presidential limo and lunged at a Secret Service agent after being driven away from the Capitol against his wishes. During her official testimony, she asserted that Trump physically reached for the agent when his demand was refused.

The President and many Republicans have denied the incident. Both sources Hutchinson cited as the origin of the story have since said they have no recollection of the events she described. Todd Blanche, who served as Bondi’s deputy and has since been appointed Attorney General, has signalled willingness to press ahead with probes into Trump’s rivals.

Speaking at a DOJ press conference on Tuesday, he said the President had ‘the right’ and ‘the duty’ to call for investigations into those who have broken the law. The DOJ did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment. The Daily Mail has requested comment from representatives for Hutchinson.