Goodlatte Statement in IG Report Detailing Violation of Privacy bBy Secret Service

Statement

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) issued this statement following the release of the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General's report detailing U.S. Secret Service personnel's inappropriate access to the personal information of House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah).

Chairman Goodlatte: "Yesterday's report confirms that earlier this year a high-ranking Secret Service official encouraged the dissemination of personal information of Representative Jason Chaffetz and over 40 Secret Service agents improperly accessed and disseminated this information, in violation of federal law. No one, whether they are a Member of Congress or a private citizen, should have their private information violated in this manner. This incident is precisely why Americans do not trust the federal government with their personal information.

"The actions by these Secret Service employees are in clear violation of the Privacy Act and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson must hold all necessary personnel accountable.

"Unfortunately, this is the latest in a series of scandals and failures on the part of the Secret Service in recent years. The House Judiciary Committee will continue conducting aggressive oversight of the Secret Service in an effort to improve its operations and ensure accountability at all levels of the agency."

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