By Steve Neavling
The Secret Service seized the cellphones of 24 agents who were involved in responding to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and delivered the phones to the Homeland Security’s inspector general.
The phones were handed over to Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari in July after he launched an investigation into missing text messages from the day of the riot, NBC reports.
Some of the agents were upset that the agency seized their phones without their input, sources said.
It isn’t yet clear if any information has been obtained from the phones.
Cuffari is investigating the Secret Service’s response to the insurrection.
It was previously reported that the Secret Service’s cell phones were wiped clean, and the agency was unable to recovered deleted text messages surrounding the insurrection.
Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony to the House jan. 6 committee triggered renewed interest in the Secret Service’s response after she said she had heard President Trump had lunged at a Secret Service driver for refusing to take him to his supporters at the Capitol.
