Former Assistant Deputy Attorney General Harry Litman on CNN, describing what former White House Counsel Pat "Patsy Baloney" Cipollone could testify to in his deposition tomorrow before the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 insurrection:
"He is a greatest hits package of crazy statements by Donald Trump. He is the one who says to Mark Meadows, 'You know, if you do this, you'll have blood on your effing hands.' He's the one who says to Mark Meadows about [Mike] Pence, 'You've got to stop it' and Meadows says, 'You've heard him. He thinks the rioters are right.' He's the one who has to go to Cassidy Hutchinson, a 25-year-old, and plead with her because Meadows won't speak to him. 'Please try to keep him from going to the Capitol.' He's the one who says, 'if I go to the Capitol, it will be every effing crime imaginable.'
Now, they've negotiated it up, and probably what he wants is to say he's not piercing attorney/client privilege. But all these statements I've said to you, Trump's nowhere around. So, attorney/client has to be with the client for the purpose of getting legal advice, so he's got tons to say without that." (our emphasis)
The question is whether Cipollone will actually have "tons to say" to the House Select Committee behind closed doors, or whether he'll claim privilege or instead say "I don't recall". Other former Trump staff indicate he pushed back repeatedly on Trump and his Big Lie advisors in private, but that's no guarantee at all that he'll be forthcoming to the Committee.
