Politics

Thomas Massie Grills J6 Committee Chair Over Pipe Bomb Investigation, Secret Service Scrubbing Phones

Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie grilled the January 6 Committee Chair Bennie Thompson over the pipe bomb investigation and allegations that Secret Service destroyed cellphones. [Screenshot X Rep. Thomas Massie]

[Screenshot X Rep. Thomas Massie]

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
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Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie pressed the January 6 Committee Chair Bennie Thompson over the pipe bomb investigation and that the Secret Service deleted texts related to the events of Jan. 6.

Massie first asked Thompson to describe the purpose of the Jan. 6 committee, with Thompson saying the purpose was to investigate the incident and make recommendations to Congress so that it would not happen again.

“And so it included things up to January 6th and also including the day of January 6th,” Massie asked.

“That’s correct,” Thompson said.

“Is it true that the Secret Service cell phone records were deleted for that day on January 6th?”

“I’m not certain that all of them – we had difficulties with getting some of them,” Thompson said.

“Was your investigation hindered in part by the deletion of those Secret Service text messages?”

“We could have had a better and more thorough report had we had access to all those records,” Thompson said.

Thompson then explained that the committee discovered mid-way through the investigation that some messages had been deleted both while former President Donald Trump was in office as well as throughout the investigation. Secret Service falls under the Homeland Security Department and Alejandro Mayorkas was the secretary at the time of the discovery, according to Thompson.

Massie then read a statement from Thompson and former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney that was made in July of 2022 in which the pair said the Department of Homeland Security did not properly hold the data in potential violation of the law.

Thompson said the records were deleted while Trump was still in office but the committee only found out about them after the fact, when Mayorkas was in charge.

Thompson said four representatives signed a letter asking for information about the texts and were not allowed to retrieve it, noting this occurred when former President Donald Trump was still in office.

Massie then asked whether Mayorkas sought to hold anyone accountable for the deletion of those records, which Thompson suggested could have violated the law.

Thompson said he was no longer trying to get the records from Mayorkas because the Jan. 6 committee had disbanded, prompting Massie to say that if there was a records violation as Thompson suggested, then that would amount to obstruction of Congress on Mayorkas’ behalf.

Massie then turned his attention toward the pipe bombs found at both the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Republican National Committee (RNC). (RELATED: New FBI Footage Shows RNC, DNC Pipe Bomber Suspect From Day Before Jan. 6)

Two pipe bombs were discovered at the RNC and DNC on Jan. 6 during the Capitol riot. Authorities say the bombs were planted the night before, though they were not found until the following day. Authorities have still not determined who was responsible for the bombs.

Massie asked Thompson where then-incoming Vice President Kamala Harris was on Jan. 6, with Thompson saying he did not know. Massie pointed out Harris was at the DNC when the pipe bombs were there and asked Thompson how he, having chaired the committee investigating the day, didn’t know that.

Massie then asked whether the committee did investigate the pipe bomb, which potentially could have been the most catastrophic assassination since the murder of John F. Kennedy, the congressman said.

Thompson became flustered, arguing the committee was not conducting a criminal investigation before Massie interjected and argued that video footage showing the DNC displays a non-uniformed officer alerting Harris’ Secret Service detail to the pipe bomb, with the detail taking approximately four minutes to respond. Massie said it then took them 10 minutes to evacuate Harris despite the close proximity of the bike.

“This is why I wonder if you’re still the least bit curious about why Secretary Mayorkas has not followed up on the deletion of all these Secret Service texts. Does it bother you that they deleted them?”

Thompson said he was bothered that he did not have access to all the information and added he didn’t see the video that Massie was referring to.

Massie concluded his questioning by arguing that the Secret Service not only deleted text messages but destroyed the phones and yet no one –including Mayorkas – is trying to hold the agency accountable despite Harris’ life being in jeopardy on Jan. 6 and the Secret Service not allegedly acting appropriately in their handling.

FBI Director Christopher Wray had previously dodged questions from Massie on the pipe bomb investigation as well.

Watch Thomas Massie pretty much call a CNN host an idiot to her face: