Secret Service deleted texts from Jan. 5 and 6, 2021, after watchdog sought records

It's still unclear if the messages were deleted intentionally or by accident.

File Photo

The Secret Service deleted text messages from Jan. 5 and 6, 2021, after an internal watchdog requested them as part of a review of the department’s handling of last year’s Capitol riot, the watchdog said this week.

A letter sent Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General to the heads of the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees, which was obtained by ABC News, said the messages were deleted “as part of a device-replacement program” despite the inspector general requesting such communications.

"First, the Department notified us that many US Secret Service text messages from January 5 and 6, 2021, were erased as part of a device-replacement program.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/secret-service-deleted-texts-jan-2021-watchdog-sought/story?id=86843614

and the request for the texts was made before many of the phones "replaced". Also, secret service are supposed to back up whatever info they had from previous phone onto new one. What happened with that?

In perhaps related news,  Director of the Secret Service announces his retirement:

 

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3549211-secret-service-director-to-retire-this-month/amp/

Lock them up...

Their job is to protect POTUS.  They did things to keep him from being indicted/convicted, hence protecting him.

How's that for a nuanced job description?

If the Secret Service did this for a non-Republican POTUS the likes of Fox, OAN and Newsmax would be shouting in unison "fly, monkeys, fly!"

 

At least they got rid of messages in a way that didn't clog the toilets.

Trump Clogged White House Toilets By Flushing Documents

 

 

"The most important Secret Service text messages since the invention of text messaging, they were deliberately erased by the Secret Service, according to the inspector general," O'Donnell said. "The most important text message in the history of the Secret Service. Those text messages could show attempts by the Secret Service to move Mike Pence away from the Capitol against his will.

 

https://www.rawstory.com/secret-service-text-messages/

 

 

They don't know if it was accident or on purpose. But facts don't matter, do they?

1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said:

They don't know if it was accident or on purpose. But facts don't matter, do they?

Alternate Facts

2 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

They don't know if it was accident or on purpose. But facts don't matter, do they?

Like they don't have long standing rules about deleting texts?

1 hour ago, tilaceer said:

Alternate Facts

No, it was the first sentence in article.

11 hours ago, Scott said:

It's still unclear if the messages were deleted intentionally or by accident.

is the Pope catholic ??? they are kidding, these things don't happen by accident, usually trying to delete anything from a mobile phone it will ask you 2-3 times to confirm and make sure you want to delete

3 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

They don't know if it was accident or on purpose. But facts don't matter, do they?

Don’t worry, the DoJ will get to the bottom of that question.

 

 

38 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

No, it was the first sentence in article.

But facts don't matter, do they?

.......sarcasm......
 

On 7/15/2022 at 2:57 AM, Mavideol said:

is the Pope catholic ??? they are kidding, these things don't happen by accident, usually trying to delete anything from a mobile phone it will ask you 2-3 times to confirm and make sure you want to delete

That's two (2) DT case-related coincidences reported in one day.   And the hits just keep on comin'!

 

 

Secret service now on record that none of the texts the OIG was seeking were lost in the migration:

 

In a statement issued July 14, 2022, the USSS stated that it 'began to reset its mobile phones to factory settings as part of a pre-planned, three-month system migration. In that process, data resident on some phones was lost.' However, according to that USSS statement, 'none of the texts it [DHS Office of Inspector General] was seeking had been lost in the migration,'" Thompson wrote.

"Accordingly, the Select Committee seeks the relevant text messages, as well as any after action reports that have been issued in any and all divisions of the USSS pertaining or relating in any way to the events of January 6, 2021," he continued.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/15/politics/january-6-committee-subpoena-secret-service-records/index.html

 

Seems to be a problem with changing stories.............

On 7/15/2022 at 12:29 PM, Chomper Higgot said:

In perhaps related news,  Director of the Secret Service announces his retirement:

 

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3549211-secret-service-director-to-retire-this-month/amp/

Another perhaps related:

June 29, 2022

Former Senate security chief dies; death not considered suspicious

Michael Stenger, the former Senate sergeant-at-arms, resigned after his handling of Jan. 6 was criticized.

 

Michael Stenger, the former sergeant-at-arms who oversaw Senate security during the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, was found dead Monday morning, two sources familiar with the matter said.

 

Stenger’s cause of death is not yet known. U.S. Capitol Police declined to comment. The medical examiner in Virginia did not handle his death, a spokesman said, indicating it was not considered suspicious.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/former-senate-security-chief-dies-death-not-considered-suspicious-rcna35705

 

6 minutes ago, Saanim said:

Another perhaps related:

June 29, 2022

Former Senate security chief dies; death not considered suspicious

Michael Stenger, the former Senate sergeant-at-arms, resigned after his handling of Jan. 6 was criticized.

 

Michael Stenger, the former sergeant-at-arms who oversaw Senate security during the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, was found dead Monday morning, two sources familiar with the matter said.

 

Stenger’s cause of death is not yet known. U.S. Capitol Police declined to comment. The medical examiner in Virginia did not handle his death, a spokesman said, indicating it was not considered suspicious.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/former-senate-security-chief-dies-death-not-considered-suspicious-rcna35705

 

Very unlikely:

 

Michael Stenger’s Death Fuels Conspiracy Theories

“As the cause of Stenger’s death was initially unknown, some social media users set about to invent one.” Some users claimed that Stenger had been shot and killed by a person driving by in a car:

Furthermore, Fox News has reported that Stenger was suffering from cancer.

https://www.snopes.com/news/2022/06/28/michael-stenger-death-conspiracies/

 

Fact-checking conspiracy theories about the death of Michael Stenger

The Associated Press reported that he died of natural causes, citing two unnamed sources. Fox News reported that he had cancer.

https://www.politifact.com/article/2022/jun/29/fact-checking-conspiracy-theories-about-death-mich/