DHS Promises Accountability for Secret Service Agents Who Illegally Accessed Lawmaker’s Rejected Job Application

Secret Service agents illegally accessed the “sensitive personal information” of a congressman who once applied for a job at the agency, which was then shared with the media to embarrass the lawmaker who had led oversight investigations into the agency’s scandals.

A Homeland Security Department inspector general report initiated at the request of DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson and made public Wednesday found 45 Secret Service employees accessed the job application files of Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, who was denied a position at the agency in 2003. Disclosure of the information to others was “widespread,” the IG found.

In accessing the files, Secret Service employees violated the Privacy Act, as well as agency and department policies. One employee admitted to disclosing the information on Chafettz’s application to The Washington Post. Ed Lowery, assistant director at the Secret Service, appeared to have encouraged employees to leak the information.

“Some information that he might find embarrassing needs to get out,” Lowery said in an email noting Chaffetz had issued subpoenas to the agency. “Just to be fair.”

Chaffetz chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has held several severely critical hearings examining failures at the agency and employee misconduct.

Eighteen supervisors “knew or should have known” that Chaffetz’s personal information was being accessed, the IG found, though Director Joe Clancy was not aware until just before the first media story went public. Only one of the managers attempted to stop the accessing of the information or informed their superior.

“This episode reflects extremely poor judgment and a lack of care on the part of a number of Secret Service employees,” said John Roth, the IG. “Given the sensitivity of the information with which these agents are entrusted, particularly with regard to their protective function, this episode is deeply disturbing.”

Chaffetz said the Secret Service agents successfully accomplished their goal.

“It was a tactic designed to intimidate and embarrass me and frankly, it is intimidating,” Chaffetz said. “It’s scary to think about all the possible dangers in having your personal information exposed. The work of the committee, however, will continue. I remain undeterred in conducting proper and rigorous oversight.”

Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who chairs the oversight committee’s Government Operations panel, called the incident a “woeful abuse of power by a government agency.”

“It is Congress’ job to oversee federal agencies and to ensure that government officials are not misusing their authority,” Meadows said. “Chairman Chaffetz is a dedicated public servant who will not be intimidated by attempts at retaliation from an agency currently under investigation by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.”

Johnson, who initially apologized to Chaffetz in April when the information was made public, reiterated his apology on Wednesday. He added he is confident Clancy “will take appropriate action to hold accountable those who violated any laws or the policies of this department.”

“Activities like those described in the report must not, and will not, be tolerated,” Johnson said.