Congressman Jason Chaffetz during a hearing in Washington, D.C., on April 29.
Cliff Owen / AP
Secret Service employees improperly accessed potentially embarrassing personal information about a Utah Republican congressman who was probing scandals at the agency, a federal investigation has found.
The Department of Homeland Security report states that Secret Service employees accessed the personal information of Congressman Jason Chaffetz "on approximately 60 occasions." Moreover, the "vast majority" of the employees who accessed the information "did so in violation of the Privacy Act, as well as Secret Service and DHS policy."
Chaffetz — who is the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform — was investigating a series of recent scandals at the Secret Service.
The DHS report reveals that Secret Service personnel accessed Chaffetz's 2003 application for the agency, as well as other information that could have led to "embarrassment."
In a statement to BuzzFeed News, Secretary of Homeland Security Jen Johnson said he was confident that the Secret Service "will take appropriate action to hold accountable those who violated any laws or the policies of this department."
"I also reiterate the apology I issued in April to Chairman Chaffetz," the statment continued. "Activities like those described in the report must not, and will not, be tolerated."
Chaffetz did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News' request for comment.
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