WASHINGTON (WAVY) – 10 On Your Side has reached out to Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va. 2nd) for comment on media reports indicating she will join Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) to lead the final scheduled hearing of the January 6 Committee, Thursday evening in prime time. The focus would be what was going on in the White House during the riot at the Capitol.

Luria’s office did not immediately respond to 10 On Your Side’s request for confirmation.

Meanwhile, the committee heard sworn testimony Friday from its highest-ranking and most important witness so far. Pat Cipollone was White House Counsel to President Donald Trump for more than two years until the end of his term.

Cipollone was the “man in the room” at several key moments of the Trump presidency.

At first, the January 6th committee tried to encourage Pat Cipollone to testify.

“We think the American people deserve to hear from Mr. Cipollone personally,” said committee vice-chair Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) following a recent hearing.

But in the end, it took the power of a subpoena to get Cipollone, 56, to give answers under oath.

Cipollone’s role and support of former President Trump evolved significantly over his two-plus years as White House counsel. During Trump’s first impeachment, he was a staunch defender, refusing to cooperate with House members and calling their inquiry “baseless”. He also argued passionately about the will of the people at the ballot box.

But the testimony last week of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson painted Cipollone in a different light, describing him as a voice of reason and restraint during Trump’s final weeks in office.

She told the January 6 Committee Cipollone objected to Trump’s plan to stay in power by influencing state election officials and challenging the electoral college vote, and Cipollone even threatened to resign over it.
If that’s true – it sheds light on whether Trump knew his plan was illegal.

Hutchinson said Cipollone also warned about laws being broken if Trump made his way to the Capitol with the mob.

“Mr. Cipollone said something to the effect of, ‘Please make sure we don’t go up to the Capitol. We’re going to get charged with every crime imaginable if we make that movement happen,'” Hutchinson testified.

Cipollone chose not to defend Trump at his second impeachment that began a week after the Capitol riot.

The committee’s next scheduled hearing is set for Tuesday.