The messages were erased after OIG requested electronic communications between the agents during its probe into the Capitol siege.
Homeland Security personnel were also told they couldn’t provide records to the inspector general and any records would first have to be reviewed by DHS attorneys.
“This review led to a weeks-long delays in OIG obtaining records and created confusion over whether all records had been produced,” the letter, which was shared with leaders of the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees, states.Ken Cedeno/UPI/Shutterstock“The insinuation that the Secret Service maliciously deleted text messages following a request is false.
“The Secret Service notified DHS OIG of the loss of certain phones’ data, but confirmed to OIG that none of the texts it was seeking had been lost in the migration.” The Secret Service also claimed “DHS OIG’s allegation regarding DHS’s cooperation with its investigation is neither correct nor new. “To the contrary, DHS OIG has previously alleged that its employees were not granted appropriate and timely access to materials due to attorney review. DHS has repeatedly and publicly debunked this allegation including in response to OIG’s last two semi-annual reports to congress. It is unclear why OIG is raising this issue again.”
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