Congress wants Secret Service Jan. 6 transcripts back from White House

The White House has transcripts of interviews between secret service agents and the House January 6 investigative committee. Now, the chairman of a House subcommittee wants them back. 

Rep. Barry Laudermilk, R-Ga., wrote in a letter to White House Special Counsel Richard Sauber that the documents are current records of the House of Representatives and therefore must be returned. 

According to NBC News, Sauber informed the committee he would review the transcripts and make redactions to quote “protect sensitive operational and personal information”. He would then send the transcripts to the National Archives and Records Administration and give Congress copies. 

Sauber also said it was the chairman and vice chairman of the committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who asked the White House to review the transcripts. 

But Laudermilk is now telling Sauber the records must be returned immediately in their original form without alteration or redaction. 

The January 6 committee interviewed multiple secret service agents who protected Trump that day, including lead agent Bobby Engel and the agent who drove Trump to the rally at the ellipse. Their interviews could provide insight into allegations that Trump tried to grab the wheel of his armored SUV when he was informed he would not be taken to the Capitol building after his speech. 

Those allegations were revealed during live testimony from former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson who said the Trump White House was aware protests on January 6, 2021 could get violent and lead to the breach of government buildings. 

Laudermilk wrote in the letter: “Once these records, including transcripts of testimony from the Secret Service agents and employees, have been returned in their original, unaltered format, I am willing to discuss any redactions you believe are necessary prior to these records being released publicly.”

Laudermilk wants all the records the January 6 committee provided to the White House by 5   pm on Wednesday, August 30.