Jan. 6 Text Messages: Some Snapchat Users Angry At Company Hiring James Murray, Threaten To Leave App

Snapchat is facing blowback from users about Secret Service Director James Murray joining a top job at the company. Although it is not clear how widespread the anger is among Snap users, if the backlash intensifies and more people leave the app as some are already doing, Snap could be in for trouble in these politically polarized times.

Snapchat had 97 million daily active users in North America and 82 million in Europe in the fourth quarter of last year.

James Murray will join as Snapchat's chief security officer in August. Earlier this month, New York Times reported that Murray is leaving after three decades at the agency for a top job at Snapchat. He had been serving as Secret Service director since 2019. His term at the top of the service ends July 30.

The anger against Murray has stemmed from the agency's failure to turn over alleged text messages as evidence of Trump's actions during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. The Service has said the messages were deleted during a device migration, despite requests from Congress and federal investigators to preserve them. The agency has denied any malicious intention behind deleting the texts, saying the device migration was pre-planned. The revelation was in response to a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 committee.

Several Snapchat users have now asked the platform for a deeper vetting of Murray's profile and many have threatened to leave the app for good if he assumes the position.

"Why is pressure not being put on @Snapchat for its hiring of Secret Service Director James Murray? Why is the man who approved Tony Ornato's career change to Trump White House political advisor, getting away with a lucrative career change right in the nick of scrutiny time?" a tweet read.

Tony Ornato was the White House deputy chief of staff in January last year when a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol. He was the Secret Service's deputy assistant director who headed then President Donald Trump's security detial, but took a a leave of absence at which time he was named to the White house job.

"I don’t think this thing with the Secret Service is going away. I predict that heads will roll, and possibly charges brought. I hope that head guy, James Murray gets nailed and loses his future position at Snapchat," tweeted another.

"Trump-appointee James Murray, head of Secret Service. The man who hard wiped the Jan. 6th messages after the committee asked for them. He’s retiring at the end of this month to go do security for @Snapchat I’m deleting my Snap Chat account. They are hiring a thug," read another tweet.

A watchdog agency learned in February that the Secret Service had deleted nearly all text messages sent before and on the day of the Jan. 6 riots and chose to withhold this information from Congress, according to three people briefed on the internal discussions, reported the Washington Post.

The Department of Homeland Security's Office's Inspector General Joseph V Cuffari was aware of the erasures since October 2021 but delayed flagging it to Congress.

Cuffari’s office did not directly respond to the allegations about the alert Wednesday. An email issued by his office says Cuffari disclosed concerns in his semiannual reports to Congress in September and March that Homeland Security and the SS were delaying his office’s investigation into the Jan. 6 attack. The reports didn't mention the text messages. Independent government-accountability group Project on Government Oversight (POGO) has called upon President Joe Biden to remove Cuffari.