Rep. Stewart calls on Blackburn, Hagerty to aid in riot investigation
January 14, 2021

Rep. Mike Stewart sent two letters to Tennessee’s U.S. Senate delegation. In the letters, Rep. Stewart asks Sen. Blackburn and Sen. Hagerty if they are prepared to assist the United States Justice Department and other agencies who are investigating the recent violence that occurred at the Capitol building on January 6, 2021.

Stewart notes that it is “possible that persons in your office received communications from members of the public that will be of interest to investigators. Some of these communications may have come to personal devices or social media accounts prior to, during or in the aftermath of the Capitol riot.” The letter goes on to state: “As you are no doubt aware, preservation of emails, texts, social media communications and other phone and computer records is often essential to assisting investigations of potential criminal activity. In fact, persons who have erased phones and/or computers have in some cases been found to have committed obstruction of justice… I am asking as your constituent that you fully evaluate your obligation (and the obligation of all who work for you, including employees, consultants and volunteers) to preserve communications that may be of interest to investigators.”

Rep. Stewart concludes by saying, “It will be very important for members of the public to know that investigators received full cooperation from all government officials and that all potentially relevant records, such as texts, voicemails, social media posts and emails, were available for review.”