Rep. Kinzinger Says Secret Service Agent Prepared To Testify Against Hutchinson ‘Likes To Lie’

Republican Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger said Thursday that Secret Service agent Tony Ornato, who is expected to dispute Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony to the Jan. 6 Committee, “likes to lie.”

Hutchinson, a former aide to previous White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, testified before the committee that former President Donald Trump lunged for the steering wheel inside the presidential limousine to veer toward the Capitol, then lunged toward agent Robert Engel. According to her, Ornato told her about the alleged incident.

According to Peter Alexander, NBC News’ Peter Alexander said that the two agents were reportedly ready to discredit Hutchinson’s testimony. CNN reporter Gabby Orr stated that Ornato denied to Hutchinson the possibility of either incident.

Kinzinger replied to two ex-White House officials, who said Ornato had a history of spreading lies and denying conversations. Olivia Troye (former White House Homeland Security advisor to Vice President Mike Pence) pointed out a Washington Post article in which Ornato claimed he never had a conversation. Army General Keith Kellogg.

Ornato told Kellogg that he wanted to move Pence to Joint Base Andrews. Kellogg responded “You cannot do that Tony,” but the agent denied that they had ever spoken.

Tony Ornato seems to have denied conversations that he has allegedly had. This was his first conversation with Keith Kellogg, and now he is denying that he shared the story to Cassidy Hutchinson. We who knew Tony well know his loyalties. Under oath, he should be called to testify. pic.twitter.com/4vsTL0GB2D

— Olivia of Troye (@OliviaTroye) June 29, 2022

Former White House Director of Strategic Communications Alyssa Farah Griffin alleged that Ornato denied an exchange between the two of them during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests on Lafayette Square.

” Tony Ornato also lied to me. During the protests at Lafayette sq in 2020, I told Mark Meadows & Ornato they needed to warn press staged there before clearing the square. Meadows said that they weren’t doing it. Tony later claimed the exchange didn’t happen. It did .”

The reports were noticed by Kinzinger who responded that Ornato “likes lies .”

” There seems to be an important thread here…Tony Ornato loves to lie.” He tweeted.

There seems to be an important thread here… Tony Ornato loves to lie. https://t.co/0c2itYqf5J

— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) June 30, 2022

Engel had reportedly been interviewed by the committee, revealing that law enforcement officials did not find it feasible for Trump to go to the Capitol, according to Politico.

Trump reacted to Hutchinson’s testimony Thursday in an interview with Newsmax. He said that Engel did not lunge at the steering wheel, or ask for protesters to have guns at the “Stop the Steal” rally. This lady yesterday, was there anything wrong with her?” He said. She said that I had jumped out of a car, and then I began strangling… an agent from the Secret Service whom I am very familiar with. I grabbed the wheel of my car and said that I would like guns for my rally. I did not want guns. I have to speak too, and I don’t want guns for anybody.”