Kristi Noem Calls for Investigations Into Jan 6 Panel’s Leak of Social Security Numbers

RSouth Dakota Governor, epublican Kristi Noem calls on the federal government for an investigation into the matter leak of more than 2,000 Social Security numbers belonging to Trump officials and associates that were accidentally included in documents published by the Jan.6 committee earlier in this month.

Noem wrote letters to the Justice Department and the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Noem also asked officials to open an inquiry, accusing Jan. 6’s panel of violating federal laws. Noem’s Social Security number, as well as the information of her husband, her three children, and her son-in-law, were included in the documents that were released.

JAN. 6 COMMITTEE DOCUMENTS SHARE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS OF 2,000 TRUMP OFFICIALS AND ALLIES

“This callous, unacceptable handling of our most sensitive information could have permanent, widespread damage to the lives of my kids and my grandkids, as well as the families of the many other individuals impacted,” Noem wrote in letters Merrick Garland, Attorney General of the United States, and House lawmakers will be speaking on Thursday. “We were not notified of this breach except by the media on January 6, 2023. As of this writing, we still have not been notified by the agency responsible for the leak.”

Noem claimed the breach was a violation of The Privacy Act of 1974 which prohibits agencies and individuals from sharing information. “any record which is contained in a system of records” They must not consent unless they agree. “the individual to whom the record pertains.”

The Jan. 6 committee had released a collection of documents detailing its investigation into Capitol riot. This included a copy White House guest book. The White House guestbook lists all White House visitors’ Social Security numbers.

These numbers were supposed be removed from the final report. However, another version was published that did not. According to reports, those documents remained up for several more days before they were removed by media inquiries. Washington Post According to Noem.

The leak affected at most three Trump Administration officials as well big names like Texas Governor. Greg Abbott, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, ex-U.S. Secretary for Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson and ex-U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar.

Carson responded to the outcry of those whose data was compromised by reporting on the leak. suggesting it was not an accident.

“Why is [it] that all these accidents tend to be focused in one direction? You know, you have to wonder about that. And I wonder if maybe some of these people suffer some of the consequences,” Carson told Fox & Friends First earlier this month. “It’s not easy to be unintentional because I spent a lot of time at HUD paying a lot attention. [the release of personal identifiable information], and it’s not an accident.”

Noem referred to Carson’s theory, although she stopped short of saying whether she believed it.

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“I am not sure whether that is true — but it is an open question that must be answered,” Noem wrote in her correspondences.

Members of the Jan. 6-committee have maintained the leak was inadvertent, citing the panel’s review process that requires members to “redact personal details and other sensitive information.” The breach raises questions about how the government committee with high profile members could have made such an oversight.