The United States Air Force released the service records of Republicans Don Bacon, who serves Nebraska's 2nd congressional district, and Zach Nunn, who is serving Iowa's 3rd congressional district, to Democrat operatives who posed as their employers.
The Air Force notified Bacon and at least 12 others, including Nunn, in letters informing them of an "unauthorized release" of their records. One of these letters, written by Major General Troy E. Dunn, was obtained by Politico:As you are aware, on November 9, 2021, the Air Force Personnel Center Military Records Branch received multiple requests from Abraham Payton, Background Investigation Analyst with Due Diligence Group, LLC, for your military personnel records. He inappropriately requested copies of your military personnel records for the stated purpose of employment benefits. Although Mr. Payron was already in possession of your social security number at the time of his request, the records branch still released your Personal Identifiable Information on November 12, 2021, without your authorization, which is protected under Privacy Act of 1974.
According to Maj. Gen. Dunn, the Air Force personnel acted without criminal intent but were reprimanded for failing to properly adhere to administrative procedures.
In October, the military records of Jennifer-Ruth Green, the Republican candidate for Indiana's 1st District, were leaked. Those leaks included information about a 2010 performance evaluation the Air Force had conducted. According to their findings that year, Green did "not meet [the] standards" for leadership in the Air Force and her evaluators noted an instance of mishandling a weapon and "wandering away while at a [forward operating base]."
Green would go on to be defeated by Democrat Frank Mrvan.
Bacon and Nunn have called for an investigation into the matter. "I understand the evidence has been turned over to the Department of Justice, and I expect those who break the law to be prosecuted," Bacon said. "This was more than just 'dirty tricks' by Democrat operatives, but likely violations of the law."
Rep. Mike Rogers, the chair of the House Oversight Committee, and Rep. James Comer, the chair of the Armed Services Committee, have both taken an interest in the role Due Diligence Group played in the release of all 13 sets of records.
"This news comes on the heels of a prior admission by the Air Force to having inappropriately released the OMPF of former Republican Congressional candidate Jennifer-Ruth Green to the very same research firm, Due Diligence Group (DDG)," the pair wrote in a joint statement. "That disclosure served to revictimize a servicemember by releasing details about her sexual assault. The recent broader release of additional servicemembers’ records highlights not only the inadequacy of procedures to secure military personnel files, but also raises concerning questions of possible illicit motive or political partisanship."
