Career staff at the Department of Homeland Security's government oversight agency notified Congress earlier this year that it was difficult to obtain relevant Secret Service text messages on January 6. , but was never included as part of it. of the watchdog's regular reporting requirements to legislators.
According to new documents reviewed by ABC News and first obtained by the independent accountability group, Project on Government Oversight, the Legal Division of the DHS Inspector General's Office (OIG) issued a notice to Congress. It shows that the draft has been approved. It was ultimately not included in the agency's semi-annual report for June.
It is unclear why the report was not notified. But the draft states that OIG is an "avoidable" obstacle imposed by her DHS.
DHS used a cumbersome approval process to release the requested records to the OIG, according to the notice. This forced the [office] to waste valuable time on inquiries. In some cases, we received documents with inexplicably edited documents after delays of a month or more.
This June 21, 2022, Photo in File, Committee Chair Bennie Thompson, Deputy Chairman Liz Cheney, and Commission member Adam Schiff said a special committee of the U.S. House of Representatives was called to investigate the January 6 attack on the US Capitol on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Attended 4th of 8 scheduled hearings
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters, FILE
According to the OIG, in early 2021 the phone's data migration process will take place and "all data will be wiped", including text related to January 6. The Secret Service notified Watchdog staff on February 23, the OIG said.
This contradicts another timeline: According to members of the congressional committee who were briefed by the Secret Service on the matter last month, the Watchdog's office confirmed the Secret Service's decision on January 6. It was recognized as early as December that the text had been deleted. said to have notified.
Rep. Liz Cheney speaks at a hearing of the U.S. House Select Committee Then, on January 6, 2022, the attack on the United States Capitol on Capitol Hill, Washington, July 21, 2022.
Sarah Silbiger/Reuters, FILE
ABC News As previously reported, Democrats in Congress last week released new evidence that claims Inspector General Joseph Cafari abandoned his efforts nearly a year before notifying Congress. Recovering Secret Service text messages from his January 6th.
Democrats called on Mr. Cuffari to resign, suggesting a cover-up related to the text investigation of his message.
Senator Gary Peters, the Democratic chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, said Wednesday that he would seek to recover messages from the Secret Service and other of his DHS personnel. It demanded a "full explanation" from Khafari about the effort.
This April 18, 2019 file photo of him, Joseph, Arizona Dr. Cafari's policy military and veterans affairs advisor and speaks on behalf of Arizona Governor Doug Ducey.
US Forces Entry Processing Command, FILE
" These are serious allegations and differ from the information you have previously provided me and my team,” Peters wrote. I ask that you provide me with a full description of your actions and clarify any discrepancies reported so far," he wrote.
The DHS Inspector General's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
Regarding his Jan. 6 investigation of the government watchdog, more generally, the June report found that the production of Secret Service records was "significantly delayed." had been pointed out.
"We will continue to discuss this matter with the Secret Service," said a brief statement at the time.
