Stefan Passantino, the former Trump White House attorney who represented former White House aide and Jan. 6 House Select Committee witness Cassidy Hutchinson, filed suit against the panel for the destruction of “his reputation and career.”
The lawyer’s claim, filed last week, seeks $67 million from the now-defunct House committee.
The action stated that “the Committee acted against [Passantino] in an effort to destroy his reputation and career in support of a pre-ordained political and legal narrative” against former President Donald Trump.
Cassidy Hutchinson's ex-lawyer, Stefan Passantino, has filed a tort claim against the January 6 committee, alleging that because of its lies and leaks he suffered reputational and professional harms. His claimed damages? A cool $67 million. pic.twitter.com/fgMIxg6TPv
— Lisa Rubin (@lawofruby) April 11, 2023
Passantino’s connection to Hutchinson came after she notified Trump’s Save America PAC that she needed legal support after being subpoenaed. The House panel at the time was subpoenaing an overly broad range of people with any discernible connection to the Trump White House.
Her request was made in Nov. 2021.
However, Hutchinson stopped using Passantino’s services in June 2022 and switched to a new attorney.
Passantino’s filing asserted that “the Committee told an outrageous tale to media sources, such as CNN and possibly others, about Mr. Passantino’s non-existent efforts to obstruct their investigation.
The mainstream media widely reported at the time that he attempted to influence Hutchinson’s testimony. She was the Jan. 6 committee’s “star” witness, but her supposedly bombshell testimony was hearsay and did little to further their effort to implicate Trump in wrongdoing.
It was December when Hutchinson alleged that the attorney advised her to mislead the committee. Passantino’s lawyers strongly deny the claim and assert that the committee leaked her testimony without attempts at verification.
The fallout for the former White House attorney was immediate. Law firm Michael Best & Friedrich severed ties with Passantino shortly afterwards, and just last month a complaint was filed seeking his disbarment.
That action came from Lawyers Defending Democracy, a controversial leftist outfit that targets former President Trump’s legal team and attempts to have their licenses to practice law removed.
Passantino defended himself at the time, saying his work with Hutchinson was conducted “honorably, ethically, and fully consistent with her sole interests as she communicated them to me.” There has been no response reported from Jan. 6 committee members over the lawsuit.
