COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The former chief information officer of South Carolina’s revenue agency accepted partial responsibility Thursday for the cyber-theft of millions of taxpayers’ personal data, even while questioning why his staff didn’t catch it.

Mike Garon told a House panel that he knew nothing about the hacking when he was forced to resign Sept. 21, a week after the thief removed data from the agency’s computer servers. His two-hour testimony marked the first time Garon has spoken about the debacle.