EXCLUSIVE — A top Biden administration official appears to have “violated” federal law by promoting a reporter’s book on social media, watchdogs told the Washington Examiner.
Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency under the Department of Homeland Security, deleted a tweet on Tuesday that endorsed Wired reporter Andy Greenberg’s 2022 book Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Cryptocurrency. However, since federal officials are barred from using their “position or title” to “endorse any product, service or enterprise,” Easterly’s move may put her in violation of the law, watchdogs say.
“This book was SOOO good,” tweeted Easterly. “Thanks @a_greenberg for another highly compelling, entertaining, & illuminating read!”
Easterly’s tweet “was a pretty resounding endorsement of the book,” according to Protect the Public’s Trust Director Michael Chamberlain, a former Department of Education official.
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“This restriction was really drilled into our heads when I served in government,” said Chamberlain, noting that his group is considering filing an ethics complaint on the issue. “Obtaining the stamp of approval from an agency or prominent leader in the federal government would definitely deliver an unfair advantage. It’s more than a little ironic that someone in charge of policing the speech of Americans could be so careless with her own social media statements.”
Easterly, who was nominated for her CISA role by President Joe Biden in April 2021, was previously an employee at the multinational financial services company Morgan Stanley. CISA was established by former President Donald Trump in 2018 and is responsible for improving cybersecurity programs across the United States and protecting government software from hackers.
Greenberg’s book homes in on human trafficking, money laundering, and drug dealing in relation to the cryptocurrency industry. CISA has released security tips for consumers to guard against cryptocurrency fraud and also looks into the industry on an international scale.
“Easterly’s tweet appears to be a clear violation of ethics requirements,” Pete McGinnis, spokesman for the Functional Government Initiative, told the Washington Examiner. “She actively promoted a product on a social media account where she lists her official government title. Given how much time CISA spends monitoring what Americans post on Twitter, you’d think she’d be aware of these rules.”
In November, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee informed at least 42 Biden administration officials that they would be expected to testify next Congress when Republicans, who will be in the majority, begin their investigations. The committee said it would request testimony from 11 DHS officials, including Easterly, likely in connection to the border crisis and influx of illegal immigrants.
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Watchdog allegations that Easterly could have run afoul of the law come roughly one month after she was included in an Intercept report on how the DHS aims to fight “disinformation” and “misinformation.” Personnel at the DHS and CISA, including Easterly, have communicated with social media platforms about censorship.
CISA declined a Washington Examiner request for comment.
