DHS watchdog opens criminal inquiry of erased Secret Service Jan. 6 texts

The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general has told the Secret Service to stop looking into its erased text messages related to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack because the watchdog has launched an "ongoing criminal investigation" into the matter, CNN reported Thursday, citing a letter from DHS to the Secret Service.

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed that the inspector general sent the letter notifying the agency about the investigation, and said the Secret Service alerted members of the House committee investigating the Capitol attack, according to The Washington Post. The House select committee last week issued a subpoena seeking the texts.