In the twilight of its tenure, a committee's actions cast shadows on Capitol Hill.
Over 100 encrypted files related to the January 6 Capitol riot investigation were deleted days before the power transfer in the House, raising questions and prompting a new probe.
The House Administration Committee's Oversight Subcommittee, now helmed by Chairman Barry Loudermilk, has taken the reins of the January 6, 2021, investigation.
This new phase comes with increased backing from House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has pledged more resources to uncover the events of that fateful day.
A digital forensics team contracted by Loudermilk’s committee has unearthed 117 files that were removed and secured with encryption just before their scheduled handover to the GOP-led panel.
The former select committee, chaired by Democrat Bennie Thompson, had assured the handover of four terabytes of collected data.
However, an alarming discovery was made when the new committee received only about half of the promised data volume.
The digital forensics team's investigation revealed that many files were deleted and encrypted mere days before the mandatory data transfer.
After a meticulous forensic analysis, Loudermilk's team successfully recovered all the deleted files. Nevertheless, most of these files remain inaccessible due to password protection.
In an exclusive letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Loudermilk pressed Thompson for the passwords, highlighting the discrepancy in the archived data and stressing the need to ensure proper archival according to House rules.
As Chairman Loudermilk stated:
It’s obvious that Pelosi’s Select Committee went to great lengths to prevent Americans from seeing certain documents produced in their investigation. It also appears that Bennie Thompson and Liz Cheney intended to obstruct our Subcommittee by failing to preserve critical information and videos as required by House rules.
Loudermilk has targeted the missing files and contacted the White House and the Department of Homeland Security. He requested the unedited transcripts of testimonies that the Thompson-led committee did not turn over.
The Chairman's demand extends to the two agencies, with a compliance deadline set for January 24, emphasizing the urgency of transparency for the American public.
Loudermilk's quest for answers and the apparent obstruction of the previous committee's efforts to preserve pertinent information and videos could be pivotal for both parties. The American people's right to the full truth has been championed by Speaker Johnson, who supports the pursuit of uncovering the concealed documents.
The controversy surrounding the January 6 Capitol riot investigation has been reignited following the discovery of over 100 deleted and encrypted files by the new GOP-led investigation team. Chairman Barry Loudermilk is spearheading an intensive review of the security failures and actions of the previous committee, unearthing discrepancies in the archived data turnover.
With the recovery of the files, Loudermilk is pushing for access to ensure proper archival while demanding transparency from other government bodies regarding withheld testimonies. The outcome of this investigation could hold significant implications for the understanding of the events on January 6 and future congressional oversight.
