Explosive testimony in Jan. 6 hearing and Evers and Kaul sue over 1849 abortion law

Trump knew mob was armed and dangerous, witness says

Here are the highlights of former White House aide Cassidy Hitchinson's testimony:

• Trump knew of the threat of violence: Hutchinson's stunning and historic testimony showed that Trump and his top deputies knew Jan. 6, 2021, could get violent and proceeded anyway with their plan to stay in power.

• She also recounted how multiple White House officials expressed fears that the Jan. 6 election protests could get violent because of extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers - and that Trump had to know as well.

• Police warned that there were people with guns near where Trump would be speaking. In the backstage area of the former president's rally, Hutchinson said she overheard Trump tell staff that he didn’t care whether people had weapons and he wanted to let them into the rally. "They're not here to hurt me," the president said, according to Hutchinson.

• White House counsel Pat Cipollone came “barrelling toward our office,” Hutchinson said, before opening the door, shaking his head, and telling Meadows that the rioters had made it to the Capitol. He urged Meadows to come with him to go speak to Trump. “He doesn’t want to do anything, Pat,” Hutchinson said Meadows said.

Tony Evers and Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit challenging Wisconsin's 1849 law banning abortions, calling it unenforceable

• The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Dane County Circuit Court against Republican legislative leaders and argues the longstanding ban that had been unenforceable since 1973 under Roe v. Wade is still unenforceable because it conflicts with abortion measures state lawmakers have passed since.

• Kaul said measures passed by Republican lawmakers setting restrictions on abortions under Roe v. Wade repealed the original abortion law. The effort faces an uphill battle under the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which is currently controlled by conservative justices.

• Assembly Speaker Robin Vos ripped the lawsuit in a statement. "Once again we will do Attorney General Kaul's job and vigorously defend the law. It's sad that Evers and Kaul want to break the law instead of work with the legislature," Vos said

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The Money

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bombshell testimony in Jan. 6 hearing and Evers and Kaul sue