Jan. 6 Panel Subpoenas Secret Service For Erased Texts

It was a rare action for the panel to issue a subpoena to an executive branch department.

The House committee investigating the U.S. Capitol attack subpoenaed the Secret Service on Friday night for text messages agents reportedly deleted around Jan. 6, 2021, as the panel probes Donald Trump's actions at the time of the deadly siege.

Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said in a statement that the committee understands the messages had been "erased." Thompson outlined an aggressive timeline for production of the documents by Tuesday.

"The USSS erased text messages from January 5 and 6, 2021, as part of a 'device-replacement program,'" Thompson said late Friday.