House GOP Chairwoman Elise Stefanik has accused the January 6 Select Committee of deleting or encrypting nearly two terabytes of data before Republicans assumed control of the House. A forensic analysis revealed that instead of the expected four terabytes, only two were provided, fueling claims of obstruction.
Stefanik called the committee “illegitimate and unconstitutional,” alleging that key figures, including Bennie Thompson and Liz Cheney, attempted to hide evidence. Cheney fired back, calling Stefanik a “total crackpot” and pointing to her past statements condemning the Capitol riot.
Chairman Barry Loudermilk’s investigation uncovered 117 deleted or password-protected files, raising concerns over transparency. He requested access to the missing data, highlighting discrepancies in what was archived versus what was handed over to House oversight officials.
The controversy deepens partisan divisions, with Republicans demanding full transparency and Democrats defending the committee’s integrity. As forensic experts attempt to recover the files, the battle over the truth behind January 6 continues to shape the political landscape.