GOP lawmakers seek investigation after military records released to Democratic-linked firm
Cami Mondeaux
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Two House lawmakers are requesting an investigation after their military records were improperly released to a third-party public records firm with Democratic ties during the midterm elections.
Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Zach Nunn (R-IA) are calling for the inquiry after the two lawmakers said the Air Force alerted them to an “unauthorized release” of their personnel records, according to a letter sent to the congressmen that was obtained by Politico. At least nine other Air Force members’ records were also disclosed without their approval, according to the military branch.
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Bacon first learned of the unauthorized release of information during a conversation with the secretary of the Air Force on Feb. 2, according to a letter sent to the congressman on Feb. 7. The Air Force Personnel Center received multiple requests for Bacon’s military records on Nov. 9 from Abraham Payton, a background investigation analyst with Due Diligence Group.
Payton submitted requests for the military records of 11 people, telling Air Force officials they were required for employment records. At the time of the requests, Payton already possessed the members’ Social Security numbers, according to the letter.
“Virtually all unauthorized disclosures were in response to a third party who represented himself as a background investigator seeking service records for employment purposes through a process commonly used by other federal agencies to conduct employee background checks,” a spokesperson for the Air Force told Politico.
During an internal inquiry of the matter, Air Force officials determined there was no “criminal action or malicious intent” by the employee who improperly released the military records, according to the letter. However, the employee has been punished according to “proper administrative procedures.” It’s not entirely clear what consequences the employee faced.
The improper release of records has prompted an outcry from several Republicans, particularly after it was discovered that Due Diligence Group analyst Payton previously worked as a research director for the Democratic political group American Bridge.
Now, GOP lawmakers are calling for an investigation into whether Democratic opposition research efforts led to illegal activity.
“I am calling for an official investigation and expect anyone who broke the law to be prosecuted. This isn’t just dirty politics, but likely a violation of the law,” Bacon told the Washington Examiner in a statement. “Veterans deserve peace of mind knowing their information is safe and will be protected from political dirty tricksters.”
Bacon accused the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee of obtaining the records for political use, calling the incident “concerning.” It’s not clear whether the DCCC obtained or used the military record information, and the committee has not responded to a request for comment by the Washington Examiner.
Nunn also denounced the data breach as “criminal” and called on investigators to hold the “actors accountable.”
“The recent targeting of Members of Congress’s personnel military records, the breach of sensitive data, and the duplicitous forgery taken by political hacks isn’t only a violation of public trust — it’s criminal,” he told the Washington Examiner. “As a country, we should be supporting veterans who want to continue their service instead of harassing and intimidating them.”
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Several other Republican groups chimed in after reports emerged that the records were improperly released.
“This systematic weaponization of Republican candidates’ military service against them is beyond disgusting,” National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson said in a statement. “It is time for the DCCC to stop hiding and face accountability for their actions. The Department of Justice must immediately begin investigations into this matter and if the DCCC violated the law, they should face prosecution.”