United States Secret Service Assistant Director Tony Ornato, who is at the center of the Jan. 6 Committee testimonies, resigned and separated from the agency on Monday, a significant departure two months after explosive testimony by a former White House aide.
The former aide alleged that Ornato told her that then-President Donald Trump was irate upon learning his security detail would not take him to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The agent confirmed his departure, which was previously reported, citing that he left the agency to pursue a career in the private sector.
Secret Service Assistant Director Retires
In a statement, Ornato said, "I did retire today to pursue a career in the private sector. I retired from the U.S. Secret Service after more than 25 years of faithful service to my country, including serving the past five presidents. I long-planned to retire and have been planning this transition for more than a year."
The agency previously said that he has not taken a role with the former president or any of his companies, and he also declined to name his new employer. The House Select Committee previously made it clear that it believes Ornato was a central figure who could provide valuable information about Trump's movements and intentions leading up to the Capitol Hill riot, as per CNN.
Not only did the secret service agent run Trump's detail, but he also made the unprecedented move of joining White House staff as the deputy chief of staff in December 2019 on a temporary assignment. He eventually returned to the Secret Service to run the agency's training program.
California Democrat Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who serves on the panel, said that committee members have stressed their desire to speak with Ornato, noting that the latter has retained private counsel. With his departure, it is unclear whether the secret service agent will end up testifying related to the claims from Cassidy Hutchinson, the former White House aide.
According to Politico, spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said that Ornato became eligible for retirement earlier this year and leaves the agency in good standing. While the secret service agent said he was willing to testify before the committee, he has yet to appear for a new interview with the panel.
Investigations of Trump
When asked about the status of those discussions, Guglielmi said, "We have continuously made Tony Ornato available," noting that he is now a private citizen and no longer a federal employee. His departure comes shortly after the director of the Secret Service, James Murray, announced his own intention to retire but put it on hold amid expanding investigations into the agency's conduct in the days surrounding the Capitol siege.
Hutchinson testified that Trump lunged at his security detail and toward the steering wheel of the presidential vehicle, demanding to head to Capitol Hill. At the time, there was a mob of loyal Trump supporters that would later breach the building.
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden tapped Kimberly Cheatle to serve as the agency's next director, taking over for Murray. The agency said that text messages sent by Secret Service agents on Jan. 5 and 6, 2021, were deleted during a device replacement program, The Hill reported.
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