The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that 41 Secret Service agents are being disciplined, after a watchdog report found personal information from Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, was leaked.
Last September, the DHS Inspector General confirmed that several Secret Service agents accessed information about Chaffetz, now chairman of the House Oversight Committee, from an application he submitted for a job at the Secret Service in 2003. This information was also “wrongfully” leaked to the press.
Of the 57 agents that were reviewed, 41 are “receiving some level of discipline,” said DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson in a statement.
“This discipline includes a letter of reprimand to one individual, suspended discipline contingent on no further misconduct for a period of five years and suspensions from duty without pay for periods of up to 45 days,” the Johnson reported.
The individual who disclosed Chaffetz’s information to the Washington Post has resigned from the Secret Service.
Johnson said he was “appalled” by the IG’s report, and said the leak brought “real discredit” to the agency.
