On Thursday, Secret Service Director James Murray announced his retirement after spending nearly three decades at the agency. He served for parts of the Trump and Biden presidencies and will retire at the end of this month.
Murray’s time as Secret Service director, which began in 2019, covered the coronavirus pandemic and the awkward power transfer from former President Donald Trump to current President Joe Biden.
Why did Murray suddenly retire?
It might have a direct connection with the testimony that has surfaced at the recent hearing of the House select committee probing the January 6th protest on the U.S. Capitol.
In the widely-doubted testimony, former White House Aide Cassidy Hutchinson claimed that the former president lunged from the backseat toward the agents driving “the beast” presidential limo and attempted to take control of the steering wheel in order to somewhat carjack his own vehicle and drive to the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
But, as CBS noted, shortly after Hutchinson made her claim “a source close to the Secret Service told CBS News that the two agents who were in the vehicle are prepared to contradict Hutchinson’s account under oath.”
Now after staying silent Secret Service Director James Murray appears to have been rewarded with a lucrative position at Snapchat as the chief security officer.
After three years of leading the agency, U.S. Secret Service director James M. Murray will take a top security job with Snapchat, according to a Department of Homeland Security official with knowledge of his decision.https://t.co/Q2omsgW7YS
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) July 7, 2022
US Secret Service director is retiringhttps://t.co/nv4Tj0a2e1
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) July 7, 2022
More details of Murray’s resignation as reported by Politico:
U.S. Secret Service Director James Murray will retire after serving in the high-ranking post for three years, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden said in a statement on Thursday.
“Jim embodies the meaning of service over self, and protected the families of U.S. Presidents like they were part of his own,” the statement said. “We are incredibly grateful for his service to our country and our family.”
Murray will begin a new position as chief security officer at Snap Inc., the company that owns Snapchat, at the beginning of August, a company spokesperson said. The Washington Post earlier reported the move. Murray will report directly to Snap CEO and co-founder Evan Spiegel.
The retirement comes shortly after former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony to the House Jan. 6 committee investigating the attack on the Capitol, in which she highlighted the numerous dealings that Anthony Ornato, a senior Secret Service official whom President Donald Trump named deputy chief of staff in December 2019, had with Trump and other White House aides as the insurrection played out.
After Hutchinson’s explosive testimony, during which she said Ornato had told her that Trump lunged toward the steering wheel of his detail’s SUV on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to be driven to the Capitol, Ornato expressed willingness to contradict the testimony.
Secret Service Director James Murray will become Snapchat chief security officer
pic.twitter.com/3FmKQgXusL— The 220 Podcast (@The220Podcast) July 8, 2022
USA Today dropped some details:
Secret Service Director James Murray announced his retirement Thursday following a nearly three-decade career at the agency he has led for the past three years.
“It has been the highest honor and privilege to call this exceptional agency my home for more than half my life,” Murray said in a statement.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Murray would be leaving the agency at the end of the month to oversee security for a technology and communications company.
Snap Inc, the parent company of Snapchat, confirmed that Murray would be joining the social media company.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Jim Murray to Snap and look forward to him joining our team on August 1st,” the company spokesperson said.
While Murray’s long service was immediately lauded by President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the move also comes as the service has been thrust into the spotlight by a special House committee’s investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The Head of Secret Service quits & is joining snapchat as the chief security officer Aug 1st. pic.twitter.com/0saQEI0Ayt
— SAY CHEESE! (@SaycheeseDGTL) July 8, 2022
Sources: WLT, Politico, USA Today, CBS News
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