Police arrest House Democratic intern for posting private information of GOP senators on Wikipedia
On Wednesday, U.S. Capitol Police arrested Jackson Cosko, a 27-year-old intern in Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee's (D-Texas) office, saying he had posted "private, identifying information (doxing) about one or more United States senators to the internet." Lee's chief of staff, Glenn Rushing, told Politico that he's been fired and "we're just cooperating with law enforcement right now." Cosko has been charged with releasing restricted personal information, witness tampering, identity theft, burglary, unlawful entry, and other charges. He was in custody until a Thursday hearing in federal court.
During last Thursday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's alleged sexual assault, someone posted on Wikipedia the addresses, phone numbers, and emails addresses of GOP Sens. Orrin Hatch (Utah), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), and Mike Lee (Utah), all supporters of Kavanaugh. A bot that tracks Wikipedia changes traced the IP address to a computer on the House side of Capitol Hill. "The investigation will continue and additional charges may be forthcoming," Capitol Police said. Cosko previously worked as a staffer for Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and former Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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