That is a reasonable request, given the fact that Cuffari’s actions will be under scrutiny. The Chairs of the House Homeland Security Committee and the January 6 Committee have called on Cuffari to step aside and allow a different inspector general to investigate the missing Secret Service text messages. According to a recent Washington Post article, Cuffari was investigated for ethical lapses when he was an agent working for the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. This is not the first time Cuffari has been accused of acting improperly. Even worse, according to media reports, Cuffari allegedly prevented his own investigators from seeking to recover the text messages.

Such inaction may make it much more difficult to retrieve these texts. Joseph Cuffari, the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security, allegedly knew that the Secret Service had deleted text messages related to the January 6 attack on the Capitol, but for many months failed to notify Congress.

Rather, this inspector general allegedly covered up government misconduct.

Unfortunately, he is not exposing misconduct, making recommendations for improving government, or keeping high government officials honest, which is the role of an inspector general. An inspector general is once again making front-page news.

Congressional watchdog groups