Former Senate staffer arrested for allegedly doxing senator
Capitol police said late Wednesday they had charged a former Senate staffer with posting private, identifying information about one or more senators on the internet. Jackson Cosko, 27, of Washington, was charged with making public restricted personal information, unauthorized access of a government computer and other crimes.
According to Legistorm, a website that tracks lawmakers and Capitol Hill staffers, Cosko worked for Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire from January 2017 to May 2018 as a legislative correspondent/systems administrator.
A spokesman for Hassan declined to comment Wednesday night.
Before the arrest was announced, Republicans discussed security matters behind closed doors earlier this week at a private lunch.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said in a floor speech Wednesday that senators will not be intimidated out of doing their jobs.
McConnell cited an incident in which Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was forced to leave a restaurant last week and said another senator "reported having protesters physically block his car door. And some have seen organized far-left protesters camp out at their homes" and offices.
"There is no chance in the world they're going to scare us out of doing our duty," McConnell said. He said the Senate will be voting this week on Kavanaugh's nomination.
Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said there's "a lot of unprecedented activity taking place" because of the pitched battle over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who would likely provide the decisive fifth vote for a conservative majority on the nine-member court.
A man was arrested in Utah Wednesday for sending threatening letters to the Pentagon and White House, some of which initially tested positive for the posion ricin. Subsequent tests determined the mailings contained a castor bean substance, an ingredient used to manufacture ricin, according to two federal officials.
William Clyde Allen III, a Navy veteran, was taken into custody in Utah on Wednesday, two days after the packages and letters were discovered at mailing facilities. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Salt Lake City said federal charges were expected to be filed Friday.