# Secret Service deleted texts around January 6 as part of a "device-replacement" program **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 15, 2022, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977 "2022-07-15T00:17:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/61 "2022-07-17T19:11:55Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Does this mean you’re saving copies of all the SPAM you got for 7 years? I’d have to look up the exact language, but I’m pretty sure retention policy relates to “official records.” So spam, or an occasional email to/from my wife, doesn’t qualify. And then there there are the phony “phishing” tests they shoot you, and then bitch if you just delete it w/o reporting it… 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/62 "2022-07-17T19:25:50Z")
Which, in many mail programs, gets deleted after some set period. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/63 "2022-07-17T19:39:22Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I’d have to look up the exact language, but I’m pretty sure retention policy relates to “official records.” So spam, or an occasional email to/from my wife, doesn’t qualify. That’s the same thing at my agency. Spam doesn’t count. They also try to prevent it from even arriving of course. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/64 "2022-07-17T23:42:52Z")
The latest reporting seems to reflect that the texts are indeed retrievable and will be produced by Tuesday. I find it interesting to see the reference to IPhones; I suspect that there isn’t as much unique encryption going on as has been speculated, other than what any business group exchanging important proprietary information might use. > [@](#): > > Investigators gave the Secret Service until Tuesday to turn over the documents, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., a member of the committee, said on ABC News’ “This Week" that they expect to receive them on time. > > “We need them. And we expect to get them by this Tuesday,” she said. “I was shocked to hear that they didn’t back up their data before they reset their iPhones — that’s crazy. I don’t know why that would be. But we need to get this information to get the full picture.” > > Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson for the Secret Service, has called allegations that the agency deleted messages categorically false. During a “pre-planned, three-month system migration,” he said, data on some phones was lost but that none of the text messages being sought was permanently deleted. Guglielmi also insisted that the Secret Service would respond “swiftly to the Committee’s subpoena." (my bold) > **[Jan. 6 panel expects to get Secret Service texts by Tuesday, says new...](https://apple.news/ADUl-mg13T8uueDZpzHY5zw)** > > Thursday's public hearing will focus on what the panel is calling the crucial “187 minutes” — the time it took for Trump to urge his supporters to leave the Capitol after the attack began. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/65 "2022-07-17T23:46:08Z")
Does “respond swiftly” equate to “provide texts”? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2022, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/66 "2022-07-18T01:10:08Z")
> [@](#): > > “I was shocked to hear that they didn’t back up their data before they reset their iPhones — that’s crazy. I don’t know why that would be.” “Ma’am, we’re the Secret Service, not the Open Publicity Service.” ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2022, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/67 "2022-07-18T02:25:03Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > As to why, it’s because it’s federal law. Cell phone providers don’t hand them out on request, even to the organization that pays the bills. I think it’s to preserve individual privacy, but I’m not entirely sure and I’m having trouble finding an answer on that. Fascinating. Thanks for the reply. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2022, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/68 "2022-07-18T17:43:42Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Which, in many mail programs, gets deleted after some set period. With the key word being “set”. I asked to see a .gov Deleted Items folder today and it goes back 7 years, per policy. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2022, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/69 "2022-07-18T19:49:46Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Man - as a longtime federal employee, we get annual reminders that emails and texts are official government records which have to be retained - IIRC generally for 7 years. And I also believe there are criminal penalties for violating those policies. Yup, I just finished my annual refresher last week and came to post exactly this. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2022, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/70 "2022-07-18T20:10:14Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Does this mean you’re saving copies of all the SPAM you got for 7 years? From my refresher course about what is an official record. - Is it an original document that does not exist elsewhere? - Is it needed to conduct or facilitate agency business, or does it document a business decision, transaction, function, activity, organization, policy or procedure? - Does it contain information that is needed or useful to the agency in carrying out its mission, such as biomedical data or research protocols? So spam can be safely deleted, as can an email from my wife to get milk on the way home, or a general email I got sent to the whole agency (not unique). But texts between agents would certainly be on the list for retention. In practice I don’t bother deleting SPAM and my archive mail box has over 36,000 unread messages safely archived. As others have said, not backing these up shows gross, firing level negligence at best. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2022, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/71 "2022-07-19T11:43:03Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > From my refresher course about what is an official record. Oh my god! Alert the authorities! Someone actually paid attention to one of these trainings?! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2022, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/72 "2022-07-19T12:23:11Z")
Honestly, the easy way to deal with such policies is to just never delete anything, because it’s more trouble than it’s worth to pick out what’s needed from what’s not. So a text from your spouse telling you to pick up milk on the way home sticks around forever… So what? ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2022, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/73 "2022-07-19T23:43:43Z")
Well, shit. > [@](#): > > Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.) said the trove of new communications delivered by the agency excluded the texts the panel was seeking from Jan. 6 and the day before. Those messages were the focus of intense interest by the committee after investigators were notified by a government watchdog last week that the texts were “erased” during a device replacement program. The parallels to the Hillary Clinton situation is striking, as there is reference to the fact that the deleted texts were not “official records” but just personal discussions. > [@](#): > > [The Secret Service Spokesman] said the bulk of what would be turned over to the committee were documents similar to the 800,000 they had already provided. But he said the agency would also detail its policy around refraining from using text messages to communicate due to security concerns. > > “It’s hard for people to understand, but we do not communicate via text message. It is in policy that you do not conduct business via text message,” he said. > > The Secret Service has continually denied that it maliciously deleted any text messages. > > “There’s no reason for us to say the texts were lost. I mean, how do you know that those people texted? They were told to upload their official records, and they did. So this is partly what we’re going to communicate to the committee, all of the data that we have. People say texts were lost. How do you know texts were sent?” Lock them up! Lock them up! (Of course, it could very well be a nothingburger. Or the deleted texts were gossip about yet another tantrum from Mogul\*) \*Trump’s code name. Weird that its googable, but that’s the word they use for him. > **[Jan. 6 panel says Secret Service failed to deliver ‘erased’ texts](https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3566592-jan-6-panel-says-secret-service-failed-to-deliver-erased-texts/amp/)** > > The Secret Service on Tuesday failed to provide Congress with any new agency text messages from Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, 2021, informing the House committee investigating last year’s Capitol attack that … ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2022, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/74 "2022-07-19T23:56:56Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > So what will be the response? > “You don’t have the right to see them.” ? > “They’re deleted. That means they’re really gone!” ? > Long legal battle streaching into who knows when? Sounds like they’re going with “when they’re gone, they’re gone”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6wAjvIEIp7o/maxresdefault.jpg "Dan Reeder - Maybe") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wAjvIEIp7o) ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/75 "2022-07-20T00:02:42Z")
Like a lot of law enforcement, the Secret Service has been corrupted by fascism. Agents within the SS got inappropriately close to the Trumps. I assume the texts were agents collaborating with the coup, trying to get Pence out before the certification, etc. > **[Book claims Trump family members were ‘inappropriately’ close with Secret...](https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/552915-book-claims-trump-family-members-were-inappropriately-close/)** > > Two members of former President Trump’s family were “inappropriately — and perhaps dangerously — close” to Secret Service agents assigned to their detail while Trump was in office, according to a n… ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/76 "2022-07-20T00:28:25Z")
From the article. “Trump is reported to have said, “I want these fat guys off my detail,” possibly mixing up office-based staff with agents. How are they going to protect me and my family if they can’t run down the street?” he reportedly said. They just have to be faster than the giant orange slug - as the joke goes. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/77 "2022-07-20T00:32:25Z")
I haven’t seen any evidence that the secret service was directly involved in assisting the the coup. I suspect that the message they are trying to hide is from Meadows to Trump’s detail saying that under no circumstances should Trump be allowed to go the the Capitol. That there was going to be violence there and no matter what he says the President needs to be kept as far away as possible for his physical and legal safety. Thus demonstrating that Trumps crew knew about the insurrection before it happened. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/78 "2022-07-20T00:35:21Z")
Pence’s potential testimony could shed light on issues surrounding the former vice president’s interaction with the Secret Service during the Capitol riot and in particular suggestions that Pence believed there was a coup attempt. …… During the riot, Pence[refused to get into an armored limousine manned by Secret Service](https://www.newsweek.com/pence-refusing-get-secret-service-car-jan-6-chilling-raskin-1700341)agents and he has so far offered no explanation about that decision. > **[Mike Pence Jan. 6 Testimony Could Finally Disclose Secret Service Answers](https://www.newsweek.com/mike-pence-jan-6-testimony-could-finally-disclose-secret-service-answers-1724941)** > > There are lingering questions about why the former vice president refused to get into a car manned by Secret Service agents on January 6, 2021. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/79 "2022-07-20T00:37:06Z")
Didn’t Pence say that he wasn’t certain they wouldn’t whisk him away, when he felt he should stay? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977/80 "2022-07-20T00:54:54Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > During the riot, Pence[refused to get into an armored limousine manned by Secret Service](https://www.newsweek.com/pence-refusing-get-secret-service-car-jan-6-chilling-raskin-1700341)agents and he has so far offered no explanation about that decision. I doubt that his answer would be as dramatic as what you might be hoping. That said, I think that Pence is probably the one person that they could get up there to testify in person, without any formal pre-questioning, and have it mean something. Fox is trying to sell that the whole thing is a partisan smear-fest, carefully edited to make Trump look guilty. Let Pence come in and speak freely, and that falls apart. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-deleted-texts-around-january-6-as-part-of-a-device-replacement-program/967977.md?page=5)