Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., has demanded that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) take swift action to terminate at least a dozen employees who reportedly violated privacy protocols by improperly accessing the medical records of vice presidential candidates Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz this summer.
Mast, who chairs Veterans For Trump, penned a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough urging for a prompt response to prevent such privacy breaches from recurring. He also called for FBI involvement to investigate potential foreign election interference.
The VA Inspector General's office revealed that 12 VA employees within the health administration are under criminal investigation for inappropriately accessing the medical records of Vance and Walz. The employees, including a physician and a contractor, reportedly spent significant time viewing the files of former President Trump and Vice President Harris' running mates.
Mast emphasized the need for the immediate dismissal of these employees and their referral to the Justice Department for prosecution if laws were violated. He also urged for a comprehensive briefing to Congress on the breach and the implementation of stricter guidelines to prevent future incidents.
Concerns about potential foreign meddling in U.S. elections were raised, with Mast highlighting the importance of safeguarding sensitive information about public officials for national security and democracy integrity.
VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes reiterated the agency's commitment to protecting veterans' privacy and stated that any unauthorized access to veteran records by VA personnel is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
The motive behind the unauthorized access to medical records is still under investigation, with authorities determining if Vance and Walz's information was shared as a result of the breaches. The breach did not extend to disability compensation records, which have stricter security protocols in place.
