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

Committee Vice Chair Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., shared deposition testimony from former White House lawyer Eric Herschmann on the former president's baseless claims that Dominion voting machines were compromised.

"I never saw any evidence whatsoever to sustain those allegations," Herschmann told the committee.

Cheney claimed that Herschmann's view was shared by many in the Trump team that the committee interviewed .

Dominion has filed several defamation lawsuits against those who spread baseless claims that their voting machines "stole" votes.

Chairman Bennie Thompson said Monday's hearing would use evidence to show how Trump lost the election but "ignored the will of the voters" and "lied to his supporters" in an effort to remain in office.

"This morning, we will tell the story of how Donald Trump lost an election and knew he lost an election, and as a result of his loss, decided to wage an attack on our democracy -- an attack on the American people by trying to rob you of your voice in our democracy," Thompson said.

"And in doing so lit the fuse that lead to horrific violence of January 6, when a mob of his supporters storm the Capitol sent by Donald Trump to stop the transfer of power," Thompson added. "Today, my colleague from California, Ms. Lofgren, and our witnesses will detail the select committee's findings on these matters."

After a 45-minute delay, the House select committee has kicked off its second public hearing this month.

The committee today will focus on Trump's push of the "big lie" despite knowing he lost the election to Joe Biden. Last week, committee members began laying out their case against the former president, placing him in the center of what it described as an "attempted coup."

Bill Stepien's attorney Kevin Marino confirmed to reporters that Stepien planned to appear before the committee this morning but then learned his wife went into labor. Marino said it's his understanding that video testimony of Stepien from a previously taped deposition will be aired during the hearing.

Marino called Stepien "one of the finest political consultants in the country."

"You're going to hear that he followed the numbers, followed the data, and advised the president as to what he saw," Marino said.