Republicans Seek Investigation of Unauthorized Release of Air Force Records

The Pentagon in Washington on Jan. 26, 2020. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/ AP Photo

Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) are calling for an investigation after being notified that their Air Force records were “inappropriately requested” and released during their midterm election campaigns.

The congressmen, according to a Politico report, were among 11 individuals who had their military personnel records improperly released by the Air Force Personnel Center Military Records Branch.

A Feb. 7 letter Bacon received from Maj. Gen. Troy Dunn, commander of the Air Force Personnel Center, identified the records’ requester as Abraham Payton, a background investigation analyst at Due Diligence Group LLC (pdf). Previously, Payton worked for American Bridge 21st Century, a Democrat Super PAC.

According to Dunn, Payton already had Bacon’s Social Security number when he made the request, claiming to want the records for “employment and benefits” purposes.

Under the Privacy Act of 1974, the release of such records is prohibited without an individual’s written consent—save for exceptional cases—yet Bacon’s Personal Identifiable Information was released to Payton on Nov. 21, 2021, absent Bacon’s authorization.

Noting that he took the matter “very seriously,” Dunn advised that an investigation and internal audit had been conducted, finding that the Air Force employee who had released the information did so without “criminal action or malicious intent.”

“Nevertheless, we held our employee accountable for failing to follow proper administrative procedures with the release of your records,” he continued, adding that additional training and tighter security procedures had been implemented to prevent the situation from occurring again.

In a statement to Politico, Bacon said he hoped to see legal consequences for those responsible.

“I understand the evidence has been turned over to the Department of Justice and I expect those who break the law to be prosecuted,” the congressman told Politico in a statement. “This was more than just ‘dirty tricks’ by Democrat operatives, but likely violations of the law.”

Echoing that sentiment, Nunn told the outlet that “the recent targeting of Members of Congress’s personnel military records [and] the breach of sensitive data ... taken by political hacks isn’t only a violation of public trust—it’s criminal.”

In a statement to Fox News, an Air Force spokesperson maintained that “there was no evidence of political motivation or malicious intent on the part of any employee” in the release of the records.

Not the First Leak

News of the breach comes on the heels of a similar incident in which the Air Force leaked personal information to a third party about the sexual assault that 2022 Indiana congressional candidate Jennifer Ruth-Green experienced during her military service.

Green’s Officer Performance Report (OPR) was subsequently acquired and published by Politico.

Following that breach, U.S. Air Force Chief of Media Operations Ann Stefanek told The Epoch Times that measures were being taken to prevent such incidents in the future.

“The Air Force undertook a thorough review of our records-release procedures, elevated the approval level for release of information to third parties, and conducted intensified retraining for personnel who handle record requests,” Stefanek advised.

The Epoch Times has contacted the Air Force and the Department of Justice for comment.