Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images
© 2024 Blaze Media LLC. All rights reserved.
Second aide to Democratic senator charged with trying to dox Republicans during Kavanaugh hearing
June 20, 2019
The home addresses and personal phone numbers of several Republican senators were published on Wikipedia
A second aide to Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) has been charged with trying to publish the personal contact information of Republican politicians, known as "doxxing."
What's the background?
During the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, someone changed the Wikipedia pages of Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and retired (but then still sitting) Sen. Orrin Hatch to include their home addresses and personal phone numbers.
Jackson A. Cosko, a former aide to Hassan, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), and retired Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) was later arrested and charged with making restricted personal information public, witness tampering, identity theft, second-degree burglary, unlawful entry, threats in interstate communication, and unauthorized use of a government computer. He also reportedly threatened to release more information if a witness who caught him in the act ever came forward.
Cosko, 27, admitted to publishing this information to punish these senators for their political beliefs, and purposely chose to target them while the Senate Judiciary Committee (on which they all sat) was questioning Kavanaugh.
Cosko already had a criminal record before Hassan hired him to be her IT administrator. He was interning for Jackson Lee when he doxxed the senators.
On Wednesday, Cosko was sentenced to four years in prison.
What happened now?
In addition to Cosko, Samantha Deforest Davis received a misdemeanor charge for aiding a computer fraud, and a second misdemeanor charge for evidence tampering related to the doxxing. She worked as a staff assistant in Hassan's office from April 2017 until December 2018. In 2019, she worked as a legislative correspondent for Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.).
Davis is expected to plead guilty to both charges.
Want to leave a tip?
We answer to you. Help keep our content free of advertisers and big tech censorship by leaving a tip today.
Want to join the conversation?
Already a subscriber?
more stories
Sign up for the Blaze newsletter
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content that may sometimes include advertisements. You may opt out at any time.
© 2024 Blaze Media LLC. All rights reserved.
Get the stories that matter most delivered directly to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content that may sometimes include advertisements. You may opt out at any time.