Twitter thread by America First Legal
Following a @HouseAdmin report, we filed a bar complaint on behalf of Stefan Passantino against former Rep. Liz Cheney for allegedly violating professional ethics obligations by secretly messaging Cassidy Hutchinson prior to her testimony before the J6 Committee:
The @HouseAdmin report states:
New evidence shows Liz Cheney and Cassidy Hutchinson communicated through back-channels, without Hutchinson’s attorney, just before Hutchinson changed her sworn J6 testimony.
This was not about running a real investigation. @jsolomonReports https://t.co/EJMrcPVTiE
— Rep. Barry Loudermilk (@RepLoudermilk) October 16, 2024
Cheney’s knowledge of the ethical prohibition on her communicating with Ms. Hutchinson appears to be clear per the below Signal message:
The report further contends that “After her third transcribed interview Hutchinson reached out to Cheney directly.” “When Hutchinson texted Cheney, she was still represented by Passantino…Cheney and Hutchinson communicated directly for days without Pass›ntino’s knowledge.” These facts are revealed in the below images:
As such, Cheney appears to have violated the D.C. Bar Rule of Professional Conduct 4.2: “a lawyer shall not communicate or cause another to communicate about the subject of the representation with a person known to be represented by another lawyer in the matter, unless the lawyer has the prior consent of the lawyer representing such other person or is authorized by law or a court order to do so.”
Our client, Stefan Passantino, is a former Deputy White House Counsel heading ethics and compliance issues in President Trump’s Office of White House Counsel who initially represented Cassidy Hutchinson before the January 6 Committee.
Ms. Hutchinson appears to have been pressured by Ms. Cheney and others into manufacturing a narrative that Passantino had sought to influence her testimony in an effort to protect former President Trump — a claim that Passantino has denied.
This claim has led to numerous bar complaints, including a D.C. bar complaint, being filed against our client by various interest groups in an attempt to revoke his law license and otherwise smear his name.
These complaints were all investigated and dismissed without any discipline being imposed on Mr. Passantino. Prior to the allegations surrounding his representation of Ms. Hutchinson, Mr. Passantino had “never been accused by a client, or anyone else, of unethical or illegal behavior.”
The @HouseAdmin report also obtained messages between Farah Griffin and Ms. Hutchinson where Ms. Hutchinson admitted that Mr. Passantino was acting in her best interest:
All the while, Cheney was messaging Ms. Hutchinson — a direct violation of the D.C. Bar Rules of Professional Conduct.
Accordingly, following the new revelations in the @HouseAdmin report, we have filed this bar complaint against Cheney, as no lawyer, including a former member of Congress, is exempt from these professional ethical obligations.
More on the report from @OversightAdmn
NEW: Chairman @RepLoudermilk obtained NEVER BEFORE SEEN correspondence between J6 Select Committee’s Liz Cheney and Cassidy Hutchinson.
— Oversight Subcommittee (@OversightAdmn) October 15, 2024
I hope she gets disbarred and prosecuted, but for the near future that is unlikely.