Watchdog accuses federal cybersecurity chief of using position to advance her interests

Easterly deleted a tweet last month that said a book was "SOOO good." 

Published: December 7, 2022 2:41pm

Updated: December 7, 2022 3:38pm

A watchdog group on Wednesday filed an ethics complaint against Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly for allegedly violating ethics laws by endorsing a book on her official federal Twitter account. 

The watchdog Protect the Public's Trust asked the Homeland Security inspector general to probe Easterly's promotion of Wired reporter Andy Greenberg's book, "Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Cryptocurrency."

Easterly deleted a tweet last month that said Greenberg's book was "SOOO good." 

The watchdog also found two additional posts from Easterly praising other nonfiction books. She later deleted those tweets as well. 

"Restrictions on federal employees endorsing products and services are important tools to prevent corruption and 'pay-to-play schemes,'" Protect the Public's Trust's Director Michael Chamberlain said.

The Facts Inside Our Reporter's Notebook

Links

Unlock unlimited access

  • No Ads Within Stories
  • No Autoplay Videos
  • VIP access to exclusive Just the News newsmaker events hosted by John Solomon and his team.
  • Support the investigative reporting and honest news presentation you've come to enjoy from Just the News.
  • Just the News Spotlight

    Support Just the News