'Embarrassing': Johnson worried subpoenas could expose explicit texts from House Republicans

23 January

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wants to make sure the new entity being set up to investigate the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack won't subpoena one person in particular.

Earlier this week, Johnson announced the establishment of a new select subcommittee headed by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) that will specifically probe the January 6 committee. Now, the Washington Post is reporting that the speaker is concerned about Cassidy Hutchinson — who was an aide to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows — being included in any potential subpoenas issued as part of Loudermilk's investigation.

According to the Post, an aide in Johnson's office told Loudermilk's staffers that they were worried about the emergence of "sexual texts from members who were trying to engage in sexual favors" with Hutchinson should her phone be subpoenaed by the subcommittee. And another Johnson staffer wrote in an email that any texts investigators obtain from Hutchinson could “potentially reveal embarrassing information."

Loudermilk had reportedly suggested he would subpoena Hutchinson, believing she would provide valuable information about former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), who was the January 6 committee vice chair. In December, Loudermilk wrote in an interim report that he believed Cheney was "secretly communicating with Hutchinson without Hutchinson’s attorney’s knowledge."

“Ms. Hutchinson has testified truthfully and stands behind every word despite the efforts of men in powerful positions to attack her,” Hutchinson's attorney, Bill Jordan, told the Post in a statement.

Jordan didn't acknowledge the existence of any lewd text messages from members of Congress, and the Post emphasized that it hadn't seen any of the texts, and didn't know who sent any or if Hutchinson responded to any of them.

Loudermik's entity has been set up a subcommittee under the umbrella of the House Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). It's unlikely there will be any actions taken against Cheney or any other members of the committee, given that former President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons to committee members and others he perceived as likely targets of President Donald Trump's administration.

Click here to read the Post's report in its entirety (subscription required).

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