WASHINGTON - Yesterday, Committee on House Administration's Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Barry Loudermilk's (GA-11) Subcommittee visited the Pentagon for an in-camera review of redacted transcripts of witnesses interviewed by the Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General (DoD IG) about the cause of the delayed National Guard response to the Capitol on January 6 during the height of the riots while Members of Congress, congressional staff, and law enforcement were at increased risk.

The DoD is refusing to allow the DoD IG to provide Chairman Loudermilk copies of the unredacted transcripts and documents despite significant questions about the factual conclusions in the DoD IG’s report. 

In response, Chairman Loudermilk has released the following statement:

“Over three months ago, I sent a letter to the DoD IG requesting an unredacted copy of the IG’s report and the underlying transcripts and documents. I was surprised when the DoD—the very entity the DoD IG was supposed to be investigating—intervened in this request and prohibited the DoD IG from providing the records I requested.

"After three months of negotiations with DoD and the DoD IG, we were finally given access to some of the requested documents in redacted form. However, the DoD continues to intervene in our investigation by blocking us from releasing redacted copies of these interviews publicly. This is unacceptable. 

"After reviewing both the partially unredacted DoD IG report and transcripts in-camera, I have serious concerns about the factual conclusions presented in the DoD IG’s report and will continue to push DoD to be fully transparent with Congress and the American people. What is there to hide?” 

Background:

On November 16, 2021, the DoD IG released a report titled, “Review of the Department of Defense’s Role, Responsibilities, and Actions to Prepare for and Respond to the Protest and its Aftermath at the U.S. Capitol Campus on January 6, 2021,” otherwise known as DODIG-2022-039. This report was the final product of the DoD IG’s investigation into the events of January 6, 2021.

Throughout our investigation, the Subcommittee has found significant irregularities in the DoD IG report, including statements attributed to witnesses who subsequently informed the Subcommittee that the witness did not make these statements, as well as glaring inconsistencies regarding the deployment of the D.C. National Guard (DCNG). From our review of phone records, timelines, firsthand accounts, sworn testimonies, and after-action reports, there is considerable evidence pointing to an intentional delay at the DoD in either deploying the National Guard, or communicating the deployment order. To address the communication and security gaps experienced on January 6, 2021 between the DoD and Congress, the Subcommittee continues to pursue the transparency the American people deserve.
  
The Subcommittee wrote to the DoD IG on February 29, 2024, requesting all records and materials collected to produce the DoD IG report in complete and unredacted form, including a copy of the report. After providing two deadline extensions, on April 2, 2024, the DoD IG responded that the “interviews contain information not within the unilateral authority of the DoD IG to release."

On May 6, 2024, Chairman Loudermilk wrote to the DoD IG again to offer an additional opportunity for them to comply with our request.

On May 16, 2024, after the DoD IG failed to respond, Chairman Loudermilk wrote directly to DoD Secretary Lloyd Austin requesting assistance with this request. On May 24, the Office of the Secretary of Defense responded with no update.

A few days later, on May 28, Chairman Loudermilk sent another letter to Secretary Austin stating, “Unfortunately, the fact that both the DoD and the DoD IG have ignored, multiple times, that our request is for materials in complete, unredacted form is why I am writing to you again today to insist that you comply with the Subcommittee’s request.”

On June 5, the Office of the Secretary of Defense responded stating that the release of the requested materials “raises significant Executive Branch confidentiality interests.” What are they hiding?

If you have information related to DODIG-2022-039 and would like to speak to the Subcommittee, please email houseadminwhistleblower@mail.house.gov 

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