Two Democratic campaign committees paid over $280,000 to an opposition research firm that improperly received service records from the Air Force, according to Federal Election Committee (FEC) filings.
FEC filings show the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee collectively paid the Due Diligence Group, an opposition research firm, at least $283,000 during the 2022 midterm election cycle, according to the Washington Examiner. Republican Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Zach Nunn of Iowa were among those whose service records were obtained by the opposition research group. (RELATED: Republicans Say Air Force Released Their ‘Sensitive Data’ To Dem Operative)
The Air Force began an investigation in October after service records of Republican candidate Jennifer-Ruth Green, an Air Force veteran, were improperly released to the Due Diligence Group, leading to the revelations of a sexual assault Green suffered while in the service. Green lost to Democratic Rep. Frank Mrvan of Indiana in November. Two Republican congressional candidates, Sam Peters and Kevin Dellicker, were informed by the Air Force their records were released, Politico reported.
NEW: Two fmr House GOP candidates — Sam Peters and Kevin Dellicker — tell me the has Air Force also alerted them that their military records were improperly released during the midterm campaign.
Comes after I scooped Reps. Bacon & Nunn were among the 11https://t.co/o0ZMjBarK9
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) February 23, 2023
“The Air Force Personnel Record Center received multiple requests from Abraham Payton, Background Investigation Analyst with Due Diligence Group, LLC, for your military personnel records,” Air Force Maj. Gen. Troy E. Dunn wrote to Bacon on Feb. 7. “He inappropriately requested copies of your military personnel records for the stated purpose of employment and benefits.”
The Air Force told the Examiner the records were improperly sent to the Due Diligence Group. Republican Rep. Scott Franklin of Florida, who serves on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, vowed to look into the matter.
“The unauthorized disclosure of @RepDonBacon, @ZachNunn & 9 others’ service records is an unacceptable failure,” Franklin tweeted.
The unauthorized disclosure of @RepDonBacon, @ZachNunn & 9 others’ service records is an unacceptable failure.
As a Navy veteran & @HouseVetAffairs member, I will conduct rigorous oversight of this breach to ensure it can never happen again!https://t.co/BjvM5HuIbs
— Congressman Scott Franklin (@RepFranklin) February 24, 2023
The Air Force determined that the release of data was not criminal or malicious, Dunn wrote to Bacon, but did hold the employee responsible for the release “accountable.”
The DCCC, DSCC, Due Diligence Group and Air Force did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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