Chairman Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) of the House Administration Committee’s Oversight Subcommittee disclosed that the former House Select Committee erased more than 100 encrypted files shortly before Republicans assumed control on January 6. This revelation, disclosed by Loudermilk during a press conference, has ignited fresh controversy and renewed calls for transparency as the Oversight Subcommittee delves into the events surrounding the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.*
*The Oversight Subcommittee’s investigation, focused on unraveling both the security failures on that fateful day and the actions of the former select committee investigating the Capitol riot, has entered a “new phase,” according to Loudermilk.*
*With unwavering support from House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), the panel is resolute in uncovering the truth behind the deleted files and understanding their significance in the broader context of the Capitol riot investigation.*
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*House rules mandated that the former select committee, chaired by Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), turn over all documents from its investigation to the new, GOP-led panel after Republicans secured the House majority following the 2022 midterm elections.*
*However, discrepancies surfaced when the new committee received only approximately two terabytes of data, falling short of the promised four terabytes from Thompson’s team.*
*In response, Loudermilk’s committee employed a digital forensics team to scrutinize the hard drives and identify missing information.*
*Shockingly, the forensics team uncovered that 117 files had been both deleted and encrypted on January 1, 2023, just days before Thompson’s team was obligated to transfer the data to the new committee.*
*Demonstrating their determination, the forensics team successfully recovered all 117 deleted and encrypted files, raising questions about the transparency and cooperation of the former select committee.*
*Loudermilk is now demanding answers and passwords to access the recovered data. In a letter to Thompson, he pointed out lapses in archiving committee records as required by House Rules.*
*”One recovered file disclosed the identity of an individual whose testimony was not archived by the Select Committee. Further, we found that most of the recovered files are password-protected, preventing us from determining what they contain,” Loudermilk stated.*
*The subcommittee chairman has requested a list of passwords for all password-protected files created by the former select committee, emphasizing the need for proper archiving to ensure transparency and accountability in the investigation.*
*In addition to addressing the deleted files, Loudermilk has penned letters to the White House general counsel and the general counsel of the Department of Homeland Security.*
*He is seeking “unedited and unredacted transcripts” of White House and DHS testimony to the former select committee.*
*Loudermilk’s committee asserts that despite the existence of these transcripts, they were not turned over by the Thompson-led committee, prompting further concerns about potential obstruction and lack of cooperation.*
*Loudermilk has set a deadline of January 24 for the White House and DHS to comply with his request, underscoring the urgency of obtaining critical information relevant to the Capitol riot investigation.*
*The controversy surrounding the recovered files has reignited accusations of a lack of transparency and cooperation in the Jan. 6 investigation.*
*Loudermilk, vocal in his pursuit of the truth, stated, “It’s obvious that Pelosi’s Select Committee went to great lengths to prevent Americans from seeing certain documents produced in their investigation.”*
*He further asserted that it appeared Thompson and Liz Cheney intended to obstruct the subcommittee by failing to preserve critical information and videos as required by House rules.*
*As the Oversight Subcommittee presses forward in its investigation, the recovered files and ongoing requests for information set the stage for heightened tensions and potential revelations in the politically charged aftermath of the Capitol riot.*
