House Judiciary Committee investigating unauthorized disclosure of Air Force records
Jack Birle
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The House Judiciary Committee is launching an investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of Air Force records by the military of several people, including of some Republican congressional candidates.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) wrote a letter to Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall on Thursday asking for information regarding the unauthorized disclosure.
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“Recent public reports have disclosed that the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force (OSAF) improperly released information from several additional servicemembers’ personnel files to political operatives. As alleged in the reporting, this is a serious breach of law and servicemember privacy. To advance our oversight and to inform potential legislative reforms, we write to request information about this serious breach of our servicemembers’ personal information,” the letter said.
The letter accuses the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force of violating federal law as rationale for the investigation.
“In late February 2023, media reports highlighted how the OSAF improperly disclosed Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) of 11 servicemembers without appropriate authorization or lawful consent. The OSAF reportedly released the personnel files of at least two Members of Congress to an opposition research firm that received money from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Subsequent reporting indicated that the OSAF’s dissemination of sensitive personal information may have affected more than just these 11 individuals. In doing so, OSAF may have violated Department of Defense policies and federal law.”
The congressmen are requesting all documents and communications in relation to the unauthorized release, including information about regulations, processes, and what was disclosed to the affected people and to the group that received access to the files. Jordan and Stewart set a deadline of March 30 at 5 p.m. for the secretary of the Air Force.
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Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Zach Nunn (R-IA), along with former congressional candidates Jennifer-Ruth Green, Sam Peters, and Kevin Dellicker, were among the people whose Air Force records were obtained by a public records firm with ties to the Democratic Party. Bacon and Nunn called for an investigation last month, with Bacon saying he expects anyone who violated the law to be prosecuted.