In a recent development, it has been revealed that the former House Select Committee on Jan. 6 deleted more than 100 encrypted files from its probe just days before Republicans took over the majority in the House of Representatives. The House Administration Committee’s Oversight Subcommittee, led by Chairman Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., is now investigating both the security failures on January 6, 2021, and the “actions” of the former select committee that probed the Capitol riot.
Loudermilk’s investigation has entered a “new phase” with renewed support from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. The former select committee, chaired by Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., was mandated to turn over all documents from its investigation to the new GOP-led panel after Republicans secured the majority in the House following the 2022 midterm elections.
Fox News Digital has learned that Loudermilk’s committee, suspecting incomplete data transfer, hired a digital forensics team to scrutinize hard drives. The forensics team discovered that 117 files were both deleted and encrypted on Jan. 1, 2023, just days before the transfer deadline. These files have now been recovered, and Loudermilk is demanding answers and passwords to access the data.
Loudermilk’s letter to Thompson reveals concerns about the lack of proper archiving by the former select committee and discrepancies in the amount of data transferred. Recovered files include the identity of a testimony participant not archived by the select committee, and most of these files are password-protected, hindering determination of their contents.
Loudermilk has also written to the White House and the Department of Homeland Security, requesting “unedited and unredacted transcripts” of their testimony to the former select committee. Despite the knowledge of existing transcripts, these were not turned over by the Thompson-led committee.
In response to these developments, Loudermilk emphasizes the need for transparency and accuses Pelosi’s Select Committee of obstructing the truth. He asserts Speaker Johnson’s commitment to using all necessary tools to recover the documents and unveil the complete truth for the American people.
