RadioRob

Published by Raw Story By Tom Boggioni Appearing on an MSNBC panel on “The Sunday Show,” former Republican Party campaign adviser Tara Setmayer claimed the last thing the GOP needs right now is for Donald Trump to derail their midterm election plans by announcing he will run for president in 2024. Speaking with host Jonathan Capehart, the longtime conservative who left the fold due to the former president claimed that the GOP leadership is practically begging Trump to hold off until after November. With host Capehart prompting, “Tara, if he gets into the race, the conversation is totally going to shift to Donald Tru… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters PARIS (Reuters) – More than 100 French public figures have signed an open letter denouncing what they said were homophobic remarks by a recently appointed government minister. Caroline Cayeux, appointed minister for territorial cohesion as part of France’s new government formed on July 4, was asked by the Senate on Tuesday whether she maintained her opposition to the law for same-sex marriage and adoption in 2013. At the time, she called the reform a “caprice” and “plan that goes against nature”. Cayeux initially stood by what she said, adding: “I have a lot of friends among those people.” Two days later she apologised for her remarks. The open letter, to be published in the Journal du Dimanche newspaper on Sunday, took issue with the choice of words and called into question whether she should keep her post. “How can we accept that a member of government … calls French citizens ‘those people’? How can we avoid that, in her mind, they do not belong to the same category of citizens?” The letter was signed by members of parliament, mayors, former members of government including former Prime Minister Manuel Valls, as well as journalists, lawyers and members of civil society. On Friday, Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne said that Cayeux had made “shocking” remarks in the past and had explained herself awkwardly but that she would continue working and remain “concentrated on her mission” in government. (Reporting by Layli Foroudi; Editing by Nick Macfie) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Brad Brooks (Reuters) – A federal judge in Tennessee has temporarily blocked Biden administration directives allowing transgender workers and students to use bathrooms and locker rooms and join sports teams that correspond with their gender identity. Judge Charles Atchley Jr. of the Eastern District of Tennessee ruled on Friday that the administration’s directives would make it impossible for some states to enforce their own laws on transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ sports and access to bathrooms. A coalition of 20 Republican attorneys general brought a lawsuit last year against the federal government, noting that they stood to lose significant federal funding as the Biden directives were in conflict with their own state laws. Atchley agreed with that, writing in his order that the states “cannot continue regulating pursuant to their state laws while simultaneously complying with Defendants’ guidance.” Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor, one of the plaintiffs, said in a written statement on Saturday that Atchley’s order “is a major victory for women’s sports and for the privacy and safety of girls and women in their school bathrooms and locker rooms.” The Justice Department, the Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission are named as defendants in the lawsuit. None immediately replied to requests for comment on Saturday. The three had earlier requested that Atchley dismiss the states’ lawsuit, a motion the judge denied in his Friday ruling. The coalition of Republican states argued the Biden administration directives improperly expanded on a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that extended anti-discrimination protections to transgender workers. The top court in Bostock v. Clayton County said employers cannot terminate workers because of their gender identity or sexuality. The justices expressly declined to decide if the ruling applied to sex-segregated bathrooms and locker rooms. The Supreme Court in Bostock held that the bar on workplace sex discrimination in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 extended to bias based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Department of Education in its guidance issued last year concluded that because Title IX, which bars sex bias in federally funded educational programs, borrowed language from Title VII, Bostock also applied to schools. The department said, for example, that preventing a transgender high school girl from using the girls’ restroom or trying out for the girls’ cheerleading team would violate Title IX. Atchley on Friday agreed with the states, writing in his ruling that the Supreme Court in Bostock “explicitly refused to decide whether ‘sex-segregated bathrooms, locker rooms, and dress codes’ violate Title VII.” (Reporting by Brad Brooks in Lubbock, Texas; Editing by Daniel Wallis) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Adele is reportedly set to announce rescheduled dates for her Las Vegas residency. The 34-year-old singer – who recently performed in London’s Hyde Park – cancelled her comeback shows in January, but she’s now planning to perform in Vegas at the end of the year. A source told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: “Adele loved performing in London and it gave her the drive to push forward with her Vegas residency. An announcement is coming in the next few weeks. Management have asked for a celebration to promote her return.” Adele originally planned to perform at Caesars Palace in Vegas, but her shows could now take place at Planet Hollywood’s Zappos Theatre, which has a larger capacity. Earlier this year, a source claimed Adele “will do everything she can” to reschedule her Las Vegas residency as soon as possible. The singer was forced to postpone her shows at Caesars Palace after COVID hit her backstage team – but Adele is determined to reschedule the shows as quickly as possible, according to the insider. The source said in January: “There are two slots in this year’s calendar, from the end of February to the start of May, and from the middle of June to the middle of September. But if they can’t work then it could be 2023 by the time they’re rescheduled. “The rest of the weekend dates in the year are taken up by other acts including Sting and Rod Stewart.” Adele has a jam-packed work schedule, but she’s determined to take to the stage in Las Vegas. The insider added: “Adele’s schedule is mammoth and it makes rescheduling a challenge but she is devoted to her fans and will do everything she can to get them back in the diary quickly.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Daley wants to be a “designer for life” once he’s done with diving. The 28-year-old diver is an avid knitter and launched his own Made With Love clothing range earlier this year, and while he’s still hoping to compete at the 2024 Olympics, he’s achieved all his goals in the sport so is now thinking ahead to the future beyond the pool. Confirming he wants to dive in the next Olympics, told Grazia magazine: “But if you’re asking me this right now, I mean, I’ve achieved everything that I want to achieve in diving. “Once I finish diving I want to be a designer for life.” Tom – who has four-year-old son Robbie with husband Dustin Lance Black – thinks too much pressure is put on young sports stars and they should have something else to focus on. He said: “What I’ve learned as I’ve got older as an athlete is the more time you take off, the more you get out of the sport when you’re actually doing it.” The Olympic gold winner admitted he has “wanted to walk away” from the sport “more often than you’d think” and it was “really in the last year” while training for the Tokyo games that he “figured out how to have a good relationship with his body”, after being branded “fat” by a coach when he was 15 led to him battling bulimia. He added: “So then all of a sudden I’m on the diving board thinking, ‘Oh gosh, everybody thinks I’m fat.’ And that really, really messed with my head. “It gave me all kinds of body image issues that I still have to this day. I had a real struggle with bulimia for a while.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega R. Kelly told a doctor that he only had sexual interests in women months after a male accuser came forward in court, Radar has learned. RadarOnline.com has obtained the shocking psychiatric evaluation submitted by Kelly’s lawyer ahead of his sentencing last month. The report was dated June 13, 2022. Kelly hoped the report — which laid out his childhood abuse and detailed his background — would convince the judge he wasn’t a monster who deserved decades behind bars. The judge wasn’t swayed and ordered Kelly to serve 30 years in prison. The report contained several bombshells including Kelly’s claim a 15-year-old Aaliyah was the one who wanted to get married back in 1994. The singer was 27 at the time and allegedly paid off a state official to obtain a fake ID. mega Kelly also claimed that he was the victim of sexual abuse as a child and struggled to fit in as a kid. The doctor also questioned Kelly about his sexuality. The report said, “Mr. Kelly identified his adult sexual interest as heterosexual.” He said, “Kelly rated himself a one on the Kinsey Scale. A score of one is defined, by Kinsey, as the overwhelming majority of sexual attraction, desire, fantasy or activity is with members of the opposite sex (heterosexual); homosexual experiences are infrequent and largely experimental.” The answer is interesting given Kelly’s male accuser Louis’ testimony in court during his 2021 trial. He told the jury that Kelly approached him while he was working the drive-thru at a local McDonald’s. mega Louis said when he was 17 Kelly slipped him his phone number and invited him back to the recording studio. The accuser said Kelly asked him what he was willing to do to make it in the music industry. He said Kelly then asked him if he had “fantasies” about other men before the singer proceeded to perform oral sex on him. Louis told the jury, “He just told me we had to keep it between me and him.” He said Kelly forced him to call him “daddy” and filmed their sexual encounters. During one of their hangouts, Louis said he brought his 16-year-old male friend which Kelly liked. The singer reportedly told Louis to keep bringing that friend with him. Kelly allegedly formed a relationship with Louis’ friend and had sex with him. mega Despite the claims, Kelly stood by his claim that he wasn’t attracted to men when questioned by the doctor. As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Kelly was recently transported from New York to Chicago where he will have to deal with a second criminal trial over separate charges. View the full article

Published by AlterNet By Brandon Gage United States Senator Ted Cruz on Saturday lamented the Supreme Court’s 2015 legalization of same-sex marriage, arguing that the ruling in Obergefell versus Hodges stripped states of their legislative sovereignty. On his Cloakroom Verdict podcast, Cruz complained to co-host Liz Wheeler that “in Obergefell” – which he mispronounced as “Obergerfell” – “the Court said ‘no, we no better than you guys do and now every state must, uh, must sanction and permit gay marriage. I think that decision was clearly wrong when it was decided. It was the Court overreaching.” This is the same pr… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Donald Trump‘s first wife fiercely defended her “good friend” Michael Jackson despite the mounting child molestation accusations against him. Radar can confirm that Ivana Trumpgave the King of Pop an “open invitation” to have playdates with her kids at the apartment she shared with Trump during their 15-year marriage. Ivana married the businessman in 1977. They welcomed their first child, Donald Jr., in December of that year. Ivanka came next in October 1981, followed by Eric on January 6, 1984. RadarOnline.com can report that Ivana would allow Jackson to go upstairs with her sons and daughter for “playdates” whenever he pleased — but the visits were always supervised. Mega The mom of three never tried to hide Jackson’s friendship with her kids, despite there being a 19-year age gap between the singer and her oldest child. “The only person who had an open invitation to come to the triplex for playdates whenever he wanted was Michael Jackson,” Ivana wrote in her new memoir, Raising Trump. “The King of Pop lived in Trump Tower and was a good friend of our whole family,” she explained, adding, “He’d stop by and chat with Donald and me for twenty minutes, and then he’d go up to the kids’ floor to hang out with them for hours and hours.” So, what did Jackson do when he came to visit Don Jr., Ivanka, and Eric? Normal kid things, said Ivana. Mega “They’d watch MTV, play Mario Brothers or Tetris, and build Trump Tower in Legos. Michael was a thirty-year-old kid. He could relate to Ivanka and the boys better than to us,” she wrote in her book. As RadarOnline.com reported, Ivana plunged down the stairs to her death on Thursday. The New York Medical Examiner revealed Ivana’s cause of death was blunt impact injuries to her torso after taking a nasty spill inside her Upper East Side apartment. When Manhattan paramedics arrived at her home, she was pronounced dead at the scene. Mega Ivanka and Eric have both addressed her passing, as did her ex-husband. “I am very saddened to inform all of those that loved her, of which there were many, that Ivana Trump has passed away at her home in New York City,” Trump wrote. “She was a wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great and inspirational life. Her pride and joy were her three children, Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. She was so proud of them as we were all so proud of her. Rest In Peace, Ivana.” View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – The University of Pennsylvania has nominated transgender swimmer Lia Thomas for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year award, the American college sports regulating body said. Thomas shot to fame earlier this year when she became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history after winning the women’s 500-yard freestyle in March and she had hoped to compete for a place at the Olympics. But soon after, she became the focus of a raging debate when swimming’s world governing body FINA voted last month to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women’s competitions. Thomas competed on Pennsylvania’s men’s team for three years before transitioning and moving to the women’s team, setting multiple programme records. Her eligibility had come under considerable scrutiny, including from several Pennsylvania team mates. The NCAA said member schools nominated a total of 577 graduating student-athletes. Each school can recognise up to two female athletes and Thomas had been nominated for swimming and diving in Division I. The Woman of the Year selection committee will select 10 student-athletes from each of the three NCAA divisions. Of the top 30, the committee will then announce nine finalists — three from each division. The winner will be named at the NCAA Convention in January in San Antonio. (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; editing by Pritha Sarkar) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Beyonce was made to look “too skinny” for a movie poster. The 40-year-old pop star played the role of Foxxy Cleopatra in the 2002 comedy movie ‘Austin Powers In Goldmember’ but reportedly asked for the poster to be re-done when she felt she had been made to look too thin, according to the film’s makeup artist Kate Biscoe. She told Vulture: “When we were shooting, someone brought her a poster that would be promoting the movie. He showed it to her, like, ‘Do you like it?” And she was kind of like, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘What’s the matter?” And she says, ‘You made me too skinny. It’s not me.’ Then she did this hourglass shape. And he said, ‘Okay, we’ll fix that.'” Kate went on to explain that Beyonce then left to film a scene and the art designer claimed he had never been asked to make an actress look bigger before, but he was willing to go through with it even though it would cost “thousands of dollars.” She added: “She walked away to go do the scene, and I looked at him and smiled, like, “Is that the first time that you’ve ever had an actress ask to make her body bigger?” He was like, ‘Yes. It’s going to cost me thousands of dollars, but I am going to do it.’” Meanwhile, Angela Meryl – who served as the stunt double for the ‘Break My Soul’ hitmaker on the movie – explained that while she and Beyonce didn’t spend too much time together on set, she could tell the pop star was “really driven” and goes after what she wants. She said: “My earliest memory is seeing Beyoncé riding on a golf cart by me with an AD or a PA. I didn’t see her that often because we were mainly on second unit. But as you get closer and you have an intimate conversation with her, it turns out, wow, she really knows what she wants and is really driven to get to where she wants to be,” View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] Published by PopCrush Lizzo is a role model for millions of people around the world and from all walks of life. In an exclusive chat with PopCrush Nights hosts Lauryn Snapp and Donny Meacham, the “Juice” singer stresses why it’s so important for her to show up for marginalized individuals, including the LGBTQ+ community. “I don’t see much separating us, especially as a marginalized person in this society,” Lizzo tells PopCrush. “I don’t see much divide. We are all being marginalized, we all get discriminated against.” The 34-year-old Detroit native says it’s “hard for everybody,” which is “why I identify with so ma… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet By Meaghan Ellis Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) recently expressed concern about “woke math’s” number and how he disapproves of it. On Friday, July 15, the Republican governor detailed his frustration during a speech at a recent Moms of Liberty conference held in Tampa, Fla. Speaking to the group of conservative mothers who have publicly opposed many aspects of current education, DeSantis lodged an attack on what “woke” mathematics and school library books he has deemed inappropriate. “Some of these libraries you’ll have these elementary school middle school – and really just explicit and just … Read More View the full article

Published by Fadeaway World By Divij Kulkarni View the original article to see embedded media. Sports are often a distraction for most people from the various problems that happen in life that can make them sad. There is a raging debate over whether athletes should use their platform for social and political messaging, but most NBA players use their influence to fight for people that don’t have a voice themselves. Sports fans are a reflection of society at large, and while a majority might be lovely and harmless, there are always those that are bigoted and prejudiced against certain groups. LeBron James recently called o… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet By Alex Henderson When Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin made a July 10 appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” one of the subjects that host Robert Costa wanted to discuss was same-sex marriage. Youngkin, during the interview, implied that same-sex marriage was legally protected in his state. But Democratic Virginia State Sen. Adam P. Eppin, in a biting op-ed published by the Washington Post on July 15, takes Youngkin to task — stressing that same-sex marriage isn’t safe in his state. Same-sex marriage presently enjoys national protection in the United States thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 … Read More View the full article

Published by AFP Jynneos is a two-dose vaccine, the only currently approved to prevent monkeypox infection Washington (AFP) – The United States, which is forecasting an increase in monkeypox cases in the coming weeks, does not currently have enough vaccines to meet demand, a top health official said Friday. Concern has grown especially in New York, the epicenter of the US outbreak of the virus, with nearly 390 cases counted as of July 14. The United States has seen a total of 1,470 cases. The illness is characterized by lesions on the skin — which can appear on the genitals or the mouth — and is often accompanied by fever, sore throat and pain in the lymph nodes. It usually clears up on its own but can be extremely painful. “I want to acknowledge that at this time the demand for vaccines from jurisdictions is higher than our current available supply,” Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said. “And we know that this is frustrating.” “We don’t yet have all the vaccine that we would like in this moment,” she told reporters during a press conference, warning that authorities “anticipate an increase in cases in the coming weeks.” New York public health authorities were forced to apologize earlier this week when a government website became overwhelmed as thousands tried to log on to book vaccine appointments at once. “Vaccine supply is extremely limited, extremely constrained, all across this country, and especially here in New York,” the head of the city’s public health department Ashwin Vasan said Thursday. Close contact In May, when the outbreak began in the United States, there were only 2,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine — the only specifically approved against monkeypox — available in the country. Since then, 156,000 doses have been distributed nationwide. More than 130,000 doses have been added to the strategic national stockpile and are expected to start being disseminated Monday. The next round of vaccine distribution will prioritize hardest-hit regions first, Walensky said. “I anticipate that there will be a lot more supply for New York City,” she added. Furthering shortages, a shipment of 786,000 doses has been stuck in Denmark awaiting inspection from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The review is now complete, according to FDA official Peter Marks, and “we told the manufacturer (Bavarian Nordic) that they may ship the vaccine,” he said. Additionally, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced Friday they had ordered another 2.5 million doses of the Jynneos vaccine, set to arrive in 2023. That order follows another made earlier this month, which is expected to arrive later this year. The two-injection vaccine is currently recommended for anyone who has been in close contact with someone infected with monkeypox. For now, the virus is mostly circulating among the LGBTQ community, especially gay and bisexual men. Monkeypox spreads through close physical contact, by touching objects that have previously been handled by an infected person, or by close face-to-face interaction. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Noah Schnapp has confirmed his ‘Stranger Things’ character Will Byers is gay. He added Will is in love with his best friend Mike Wheeler, and said he was previously careful about discussing the topic to avoid spoilers for fans of the show. The 17-year-old actor told Variety: “Obviously, it was hinted at in Season 1 – it was always kind of there, but you never really knew, is it just him growing up slower than his friends? Now that he’s gotten older, they made it a very real, obvious thing. “Now it’s 100 per cent clear that he is gay and he does love Mike. But before, it was a slow arc.” He stressed not making Will “all of the sudden be gay” was done “beautifully” by show bosses the Duffer brothers, and he preferred the slow pacing. Noah added: “They are writing this real character and this real journey and real struggle and they’re doing it so well. “I think it has been tricky. Years ago in Season 1, I didn’t know where the Duffers wanted to go with this character. So I was kind of figuring it out along with the audience. “But now that I’ve spoken to them and seen the show, I know what they want to do with it. “I really have to take into account, like, this isn’t just a single layer thing of he’s struggling with coming out… he was taken by the Demogorgon and then his friends, they never acknowledged him, and now he’s scared to come out and doesn’t know if they’ll accept him.” Stranger Things 4 volume two started on July 1, with writing staff set expected to return to work on the next series in August, which is not set to begin until 2023. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Ricky Martin has been accused of incest by his 21-year-old nephew and could face up to 50 years in prison if convicted. The singer, 50, was hit with a restraining order stemming from a domestic violence incident in Puerto Rico earlier this month but the victim’s identity had been withheld until now. Ricky’s brother, Eric Martin, has since identified the alleged victim as the singer’s nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sanchez, Spanish news outlet Marca reported on Friday night. (15.07.22) The singer is accused of “exercising physical and psychological attacks” on Dennis during their seven-month relationship, which ended about two months ago. A representative for Ricky has previously called the abuse allegations “completely false and fabricated”. Ricky is expected in Puerto Rican court on July 21 for his trial. The singer’s accuser filed a restraining order against the singer on July 1 under Puerto Rico’s domestic violence law. It prohibited Ricky from contacting or calling the petitioner who allegedly “fears for his safety”. The order, reviewed by Puerto Rican newspaper El Vocero, says Ricky and Dennis broke up two months ago after dating for seven months. The 21-year-old is the son of Ricky’s stepsister, according to The Latin Post. Dennis suffers “mental problems”, Eric Martin told The Latin Post, adding he was “very sure that his young relative was not telling the truth”. Puerto Rican law takes allegations of incest very seriously and if the alleged romance between Ricky and his nephew is confirmed the singer could face up to half a century in prison. Ricky addressed the accusations on Twitter on July 3, saying: “The protection order entered against me is based on completely false allegations, so I will respond through the judicial process with the facts and the dignity that characterize me. “Because it is an ongoing legal matter, I cannot make detailed statements at this time. I am grateful for the countless messages of solidarity, and I receive them with all my heart.” He has made no additional statements regarding the allegations. Ricky is the most awarded male Latin artist with over 200 awards, including two Grammys, five Latin Grammys, five MTV Video Music Awards and three Billboard Music Awards. View the full article

Published by Miami Herald MIAMI — It is five months now into WNBA star Brittney Griner’s captivity in Russia, one the U.S. State Department has called a “wrongful detention,” and awareness spikes anew — but oddly, dubiously, ironically — thanks to basketball’s biggest star still, LeBron James. From his throne, King James addressed Griner’s situation in the trailer for the newest episode of his YouTube talk show, The Shop: Uninterrupted: “Now, how can she feel like America has her back?” James says. “I would be feeling like, ‘Do I even want to go back to America?’ ” Griner faces 10 years in jail under Russia’s rigged ju… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dame Jane Goodall has been immortalised as a Barbie doll. The 88-year-old scientist – who is known as the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees – has been honoured by the Mattel company as they have created a version of their iconic fashion doll in her likeness as part of their Inspiring Women series. In a statement, Jane said: “My entire career, I’ve wanted to help inspire kids to be curious and explore the world around them – just like I did!” The doll – which is dressed in a set of beige shirts and shorts and has her hair slicked back into a ponytail in a nod to Jane’s work attire – comes with a notebook and binoculars and was announced on World Chimpanzee Day on Thursday (14.07.22) . Barbie – who was launched by late businesswoman Ruth Handler in 1959 – has had more than 200 careers over the course of her 63-year history including that of an astronaut, a teacher, a nurse, and a politician, and the toy company announced that Eco Leadership is to be their central career theme for 2022. In a message posted to Barbie’s official Instagram, the Mattel team wrote: “Saving the world is a team effort. Each of us has the power to bring change in different ways! We are proud to announce our 2022 Career of the Year: the #Barbie Eco-Leadership team, created in partnership with the @JaneGoodallInst, to inspire kids with their own potential and open them up to a world of possibility. Made from recycled ocean-bound plastic, these dolls can show us that there are so many ways to help. From grassroots advocacy to research, sustainability, engineering, and more – it all begins with believing you can. #YouCanBeAnything.” (sic) The Jane Goodall Barbie doll is featured alongside the likes of activist Rosa Parks and diplomat Eleanor Roosevelt as part of their Inspiring Women collector’s series and is currently available for pre-order on Mattel’s official website. Earlier this year, the Barbie company honoured former ‘Orange is the New Black’ star Laverne Cox as the first transgender Barbie doll, who joined legendary sitcom actress Lucille Ball and fashion designer Vera Wang as part of their Tribute Collection. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Secret Service deleted text messages from Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, 2021 after they were requested by oversight officials investigating the agency’s response to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, the agency watchdog has claimed. The Secret Service disputed that accusation on Thursday, saying some phone data was lost during a routine device migration, but that all of the requested texts had been saved. In a letter to the House of Representatives and Senate Homeland Security Committees investigating the events of Jan. 6, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector general’s office (OIG) said “many” messages had been erased by the Secret Service with a device-replacement program after the watchdog asked for the records. It was not clear from the letter what messages the inspector general’s office believed had been deleted or what evidence they might contain. After the letter was published on Thursday, Bennie Thompson, who chairs both the congressional panel probing the Capitol attack and the House Homeland Security Committee, told the Axios news website the alleged deletion was “concerning.” “If there’s a way we can reconstruct the texts or what have you, we will,” Thompson said. The DHS did not respond to a request for comment late on Thursday. In a lengthy statement issued in response to the accusations, a Secret Service spokesman said the agency had “fully” cooperated with the inspector general’s office. “DHS OIG requested electronic communications for the first time on Feb. 26, 2021, after the migration was well under way,” spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. “The Secret Service notified DHS OIG of the loss of certain phones’ data, but confirmed to OIG that none of the texts it was seeking had been lost in the migration.” Guglielmi said that despite the assertions of the inspector general’s office, its employees had been granted “appropriate and timely access” to the materials. The Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol followed weeks of false claims by Trump that he won the 2020 election. On Tuesday, lawmakers of the House panel probing the attack accused Trump of inciting the violence in a last-ditch bid to remain in power after losing the election. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien and Edwina Gibbs) View the full article