Tuesday 27 September 2022 06:08 PM Secret Service CONFISCATED phones from 24 agents involved in January 6 ... trends now

Tuesday 27 September 2022 06:08 PM Secret Service CONFISCATED phones from 24 agents involved in January 6 ... trends now
Tuesday 27 September 2022 06:08 PM Secret Service CONFISCATED phones from 24 agents involved in January 6 ... trends now

Tuesday 27 September 2022 06:08 PM Secret Service CONFISCATED phones from 24 agents involved in January 6 ... trends now

The phones were taken 'shortly after' the office of Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari (pictured), a Trump appointee, informed the Secret Service that there would be a criminal investigation into text messages from January 5 and January 6 that were erased by the agency, according to NBC News

The phones were taken 'shortly after' the office of Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari (pictured), a Trump appointee, informed the Secret Service that there would be a criminal investigation into text messages from January 5 and January 6 that were erased by the agency, according to NBC News

The Secret Service confiscated the phones of two dozen agents involved in the response to last year's attack on the US Capitol, a bombshell new report claimed on Tuesday.

They were given to the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General's office, people familiar with the matter told NBC News

Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, a Trump appointee, informed the Secret Service in July that he was opening a criminal investigation into missing text messages from January 5 and 6 last year.

Messages that could have been of interest to multiple investigations into the January 6 riot - including the House select committee's high-profile probe - had been erased after Cuffari's office had requested them, according to a letter he sent to the relevant House and Senate committees.

Days later, Cuffari's deputy asked the agency on July 19 to halt 'further investigative activities regarding the collection and preservation of the evidence' in the texts. 

The 24 phones were reportedly given to the watchdog's office 'shortly after' that.

A spokesperson for the Secret Service referred DailyMail.com to the inspector general's office for questions on what items, including the phones, it was given. 

'The work to investigative the travesty of the Jan 6th Insurrection is extremely important to us and aligns with the mission of the Secret Service which is to safeguard our nation's highest government leaders,' the spokesperson told DailyMail.com.

'We have and will continue to cooperate fully with all of the oversight efforts and we have provided everything that has been requested as part of these inquiries.'

Cuffari's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

PREV One in FIVE vote 'uncommitted' against Biden in the Minnesota Democratic ... trends now
NEXT UK ministry says Catherine will join public event. Then retracts it mogaznewsen