An Evening with Cassidy Hutchinson
Former White House aide, key witness for the January 6th hearings and New Jersey native, Cassidy Hutchinson visited William Paterson University Wednesday night for the University’s Distinguished Lecturer Series at the Shea Center for Performing Arts.
University President Richard Helldobler set the tone for the evening with a warning before Hutchinson took the stage. He explained that while there was time for a short Q&A with Hutchinson, those questions were to be brief and respectful. If anyone steered the event off course they would be asked to leave.
“Before someone makes a First Amendment argument” he warned. “First Amendment rights have time, place and manner restrictions and are not absolute. While we value everyone’s opinion, we have bought a ticket to hear the distinguished lecturer. The right to express individual feelings or opinions does not outweigh our collective right to hear from the speaker,” Helldobler concluded.
Overall, Hutchinson - who has been on a tour promoting her new book Enough - took the stage in a calm and collected manner. She emphasized the importance of cooperation and creating a middle ground between the political isles to bring the United States forward.
She summed up her main message for the night right before the Q&A portion began when she said “We can’t rely on the courts to stop Donald Trump, we have to work together as individuals to stop Donald Trump.” She described her time working with the White House, what she came to learn and how her relationships with certain politicians have changed after the January 6th hearings.
The University announced Hutchinson’s visit in February and Brave New Radio News requested an interview through the Shea Center for Performing Arts. After being denied the interview, BNR News requested an audio recording of the event to allow coverage of the event either way.
Al Schaefer, the Director of Operations/Production Manager of the Shea Center responded, denying our request for the audio. He cited Hutchinson’s contract, saying “I’m afraid the contract does not permit recording and Ms. Hutchinson is very sensitive about this matter.” He then offered BNR complimentary tickets to cover the event in person, but neither a recording nor an interview were permitted.
Hutchinson’s visit to a public University was funded by the University, which is funded by tuition and taxpayer money. That cost is meant to be offset by ticket sales.
BNR News then requested Hutchinson’s contract with the University. After submitting this request, BNR also found that Hutchinson’s visit to Harvard University on Wednesday, March 20th, was recorded, live-streamed and posted to YouTube.
On the day of the event at William Paterson, the Office of the General Counsel provided BNR News with a copy of Cassidy Hutchinson’s contract with the University. According to that contract, the Creative Artists Agency represented her for Wednesday’s event. Concerning media inquiries, the contract stated:
Local press/media will be invited to attend the Event. All confirmed outlets to be shared with Artist in advance. There shall be no press / media obligations required of Artist.
Regarding the reproduction and distribution of Hutchinson’s performance:
No lecture or program or any part thereof is to be live streamed or reproduced, including, but not limited to, reproduction by broadcasting, videotaping or tape recording, without the prior written permission of Artist in writing.
BNR News is still in the process of confirming whether or not CAA represented Hutchinson for her event with Harvard University.
During the Q&A portion of the evening, Hutchinson noted that she is a public figure because people like the attendees give her a platform.
BNR News asked Hutchinson the final question of the night, noting what Hutchinson had just mentioned about being lucky to have a platform, asking “We were a little disappointed to find that when we put in an interview request, we were denied, would you be willing to sit down for a quick interview with us after this?”
Hutchinson responded, saying she had to talk to her team about it. President Helldobler notably interrupted, “Press wasn’t part of the deal tonight so we’re sorry about that but we’ll try to circle back to you on that… but you got to hear great stuff tonight right?”
As noted above, according to the Shea Center and Hutchinson’s contract, we were not granted access to the audio recording of the event directly from the Shea Center.
Helldobler continued, “I know, you always want to ask your questions, I get it.”
Hutchinson then asked if, in the meantime, we would be willing to ask a question then and there. We asked if she could go back and do everything over again, would she still choose politics as a career path?
She explained that from a very young age, she wanted to work in politics, even if she grew up in a family skeptical of the government. Hutchinson felt, looking back at college, that she chose the right trajectory and has no regrets about her career path.
“I used to say that I was in the right place at the right time,” she continued. “I look back and think, was I at the wrong place at the wrong time or the right place at the right time, I’m not quite sure. What I do know is as difficult at times as the last few years have been or certain days have been, at the end of the day I wouldn’t change anything because I think every decision I made brought me to be with you all here today, so I don’t have regrets on that front.”
After the event, BNR News approached President Helldobler, asking why the press was not a part of the deal. He explained that it was a decision on behalf of Hutchinson’s team and according to what they wanted. Helldobler did note that it was a mistake on the University’s part not to set up a time for students to meet with Hutchinson earlier in the day, and that is something they should have done differently.
This is a developing story and Brave New Radio News will continue to provide updates as more information is confirmed.