Governor Kristi Noem (R-SD) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that she did not believe the testimony from Mark Meadows’ former aide Cassidy Hutchinson given to the January 6 House Select Committee.
Anchor Dana Bash said, “I want to ask you about some new information we learned this week about the attack on the U.S. Capitol where you used to serve. A former top aide to Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Cassidy Hutchinson, said President Trump knew the mob was armed and still sent them to the Capitol.”
Bash asked, “This is firsthand testimony under oath from a tried and true Republican. Does it alarm you?”
Noem said, “Well, what alarms me is the way that this hearing has been conducted. This is not at all like the hearings that were conducted when I was a member of Congress. This was a one-sided conversation with one, you know, set of witnesses that are reporting hearsay in many situations that are not facts, so it’s been difficult to really believe everything she has said. She says she’s telling the truth, but much of it was hearsay, and much of it other people have refuted now.”
Bash said, “Governor, what – firsthand, she said she heard President Trump say that. So, it’s not hearsay.”
Noem said, “But her credibility was damaged when she talked about hearsay, and then other people that she referenced said it absolutely wasn’t true. That’s what’s difficult about these hearings. It feels to be more of a show and more of an agenda than an actual true, objective hearing that’s uncovering facts. ”
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