Topline
The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general has launched a criminal probe into the erasure of a trove of text messages exchanged by Secret Service agents leading up to and potentially during the Capitol riot, according to multiple reports, as the agency comes under increasing scrutiny over its actions and intentions on January 6.
A secret service agent is stationed outside the funeral of Ivana Trump on Wednesday in New York … [+]
Key Facts
The Secret Service reportedly received a letter from the IG’s office Wednesday evening telling it to halt its internal investigation over concerns it could interfere with the IG’s probe.
That probe is a criminal inquiry that could lead to the IG referring the matter to the Justice Department if wrongdoing is found, according to multiple news outlets, citing anonymous sources with knowledge of the situation.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi acknowledged in a statement to Forbes Thursday that the agency received a letter from the IG’s office—he has repeatedly denied there was any malicious intent behind the deletion.
Crucial Quote
“We have informed the January 6 Select Committee of the Inspector General’s request and will conduct a thorough legal review to ensure we are fully cooperative with all oversight efforts and that they do not conflict with each other,” Guglielmi said.
Key Background
DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari revealed in a letter last week the Secret Service lost its text messages from January 5 and January 6, 2021, due to a purported “device-replacement program.” Cuffari did not accuse the Secret Service of deleting the messages on purpose, but the January 6 committee swiftly moved to subpoena the records and the National Archives demanded an investigation to determine if the texts were “improperly deleted.” The January 6 committee said Wednesday the Secret Service started handing over the records it requested, but noted the agency apparently did not preserve records properly, suggesting “a possible violation of the Federal Records Act.” The Secret Service’s response to the January 6 riot has become a focal point of the committee’s wide-reaching investigation lately, after a top aide under former Vice President Mike Pence testified that Pence refused to let Secret Service agents take him away from the Capitol during the riot over concerns they would have kept him from certifying the election results and former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson testified about an alleged physical altercation between former President Donald Trump and the head of his Secret Service detail on January 6. Hutchinson said Trump lunged at the throat of agent Robert Engel and grabbed the steering wheel of his limo when he was told he wasn’t being taken to the Capitol because of security concerns.
What To Watch For
The January 6 committee will hold a prime-time hearing at 8 p.m. EDT Thursday night. It will focus on Trump’s actions during the 187 minutes between the conclusion of his speech on the Ellipse and his posting of a video telling his supporters to go home.
Further Reading
Jan. 6 Committee Says Secret Service Started Handing Over Records—But Agency May Have Broken Law (Forbes)
National Archives Reviewing Whether Jan. 6 Secret Service Texts Were ‘Improperly Deleted’ (Forbes)
Secret Service Deleted Trove Of January 6 Texts, Watchdog Says (Forbes)
Trump’s Insurrection Response Is The Focus Of Today’s Jan. 6 Hearing—Here’s What To Watch For (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/07/21/secret-service-under-criminal-investigation-for-deleting-jan-6-texts/