Jan. 6 hearing shows Barr saying Trump 'detached from reality' in pushing 'big lie'

A key witness, Trump's 2020 campaign manager, was unable to testify.

Last Updated: August 4, 2022, 5:32 PM EDT

The House select committee held another public hearing Monday -- this time focused on the "big Lie" pushed by former President Donald Trump and his allies -- that the committee says fueled those who attacked the U.S. Capitol.

Here is how the hearing unfolded:

Jun 13, 2022, 10:22 AM EDT

Wife of key witness went into labor Monday morning

Former Trump 2020 campaign manager Bill Stepien told the House select committee that his wife went into labor this morning, according to two sources briefed on the matter, explaining the family emergency that caused him to cancel his live appearance before the committee.

Stepien previously sat for a taped deposition before the committee, and vice-chair Liz Cheney told reporters to expect video excerpts of that deposition played Monday.

ABC News' Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl and Benjamin Siegel

Jun 13, 2022, 10:20 AM EDT

Cheney promises 'important and effective' hearings despite losing key witness

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., vice chair of the committee, told reporters to prepare for a substantial hearing despite Trump's former campaign manager Bill Stepien having to drop out from testifying live at the last minute due to a family emergency.

"We're going to have a very important and effective set of hearings. As you know, Mr. Stepien has appeared previously, and so we'll be able to provide the American people with a lot of interesting new and important information that Mr. Stephens provided to us previously," Cheney said.

She also confirmed the committee will show video of Stepien's interview.

Jun 13, 2022, 9:48 AM EDT

Hearing to focus on Trump pushing 'big lie'

In previewing Monday's hearing, which will be guided in part by Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., House select committee aides said members would focus on how Trump and his campaign pushed the 'big lie' to millions of supporters after the election, despite knowing he lost.

The questioning of live witnesses, along with clips of interviews the committee videotaped with other key witnesses, will show how Trump was told he had lost the election and lacked evidence of widespread voter fraud but continued to claim the election was stolen from him, aides told reporters on Sunday night.

PHOTO: Trump supporters participated in a rally, Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington. As Congress prepares to affirm President-elect Biden's victory, thousands have gathered to show their support for President Trump and his baseless claims of election fraud.
Trump supporters participated in a rally, Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington. As Congress prepares to affirm President-elect Joe Biden's victory, thousands of people have gathered to show their support for President Donald Trump and his baseless claims of election fraud.
John Minchillo/AP, FILE

The committee hearing will show "how litigation to challenge elections usually works," and argue that Trump had an "obligation" to "abide by the rule of law" when his dozens of lawsuits failed in courts across the country, they said.

Jun 13, 2022, 9:40 AM EDT

Live witnesses slated for Monday

Trump's former campaign manager Bill Stepien will no longer testify live on Monday, citing a family emergency, but the committee will still hear from several live witnesses.

Chris Stirewalt, the former Fox News political editor who was fired after defending the network's early projection that Trump had lost Arizona on election night, is scheduled to testify this morning.

Television crews and technicians prepare the Cannon Caucus Room for Thursday night's hearing by the House select committee investigating the attack of Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington, June 7, 2022.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP

A second panel of witnesses includes Al Schmidt, a former Republican city commissioner in Philadelphia who repeatedly debunked claims of fraud in the state; veteran GOP election lawyer Ben Ginsberg, and Byung "BJay" Pak, a former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

Pak previously told Senate investigators he resigned in January 2021 after learning Trump sought to fire him over not doing more to amplify his false claims of widespread election fraud in Georgia.

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