In a shocking development just days before the GOP assumed control of the House majority in 2022, over 100 encrypted files crucial to the January 6th Capitol riot probe were mysteriously deleted, according to a bombshell report. Fox News exclusively interviewed Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia, the chairman of the House Administration Committee's Oversight Subcommittee, who described this revelation as pushing the investigation into a "new phase."
Loudermilk alleged that a forensics team discovered that 117 files were either deleted or encrypted on January 1, 2023, shortly before Republicans took over the investigation previously led by Rep. Bennie Thompson and Rep. Liz Cheney. The recovered files are believed to contain interviews and depositions vital to the case.
Demanding accountability, Loudermilk insisted that Democrats hand over the passwords to the files. He accused Thompson and Cheney of obstructing the Subcommittee by not preserving critical information as required by House rules.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Loudermilk revealed that the files have been recovered, thanks to the support of new House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has committed additional resources to the investigation, tripling the size of the staff.
The investigation aims to uncover the truth behind the events of January 6, particularly focusing on security failures and the erection of a gallows by Trump supporters. Loudermilk criticized the Democratic investigation, alleging an attempt to prove a predetermined narrative. He emphasized the importance of letting the American people determine the truth based on facts.
Loudermilk's investigation will scrutinize security failures, including the erection of a gallows and intelligence indicating a potential attack. He disclosed that there were federal agents embedded within the crowd during the Capitol riot.
While authorities are working to identify individuals wanted for violence at the Capitol, new arrests are still being made. The cases unfold at the same courthouse where former President Trump is scheduled to stand trial in March for conspiring to overturn the 2020 election.
Attorney General Merrick Garland affirmed the commitment to hold all January 6 perpetrators accountable under the law, whether present that day or otherwise criminally responsible for the assault on democracy.
As the investigation takes a new turn, questions linger about the motivations behind the deletion of crucial files and the potential impact on uncovering the truth about the Capitol riot.