Quick Hit:

Florida Rep. Brian Mast is calling for the immediate termination of VA employees who allegedly accessed the medical records of Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Mast is also pressing for an FBI investigation to determine whether foreign operatives were involved in the breach, citing concerns over election interference.

Key Details:

• Mast, in a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital, demanded VA Secretary Denis McDonough fire the employees involved and work with the FBI to investigate potential foreign interference.

• The breach involved at least 12 VA employees who improperly accessed the medical records of both vice presidential candidates, including a physician and a contractor.

• The VA acknowledged the incident and confirmed it is investigating whether sensitive information was shared, following a Washington Post expose.

Diving Deeper:

Florida Rep. Brian Mast has called on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to fire at least a dozen employees who reportedly accessed the medical records of vice presidential candidates, Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. According to a report from Fox News Digital, which first obtained Mast’s letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough, Mast urged for immediate action to address the breach, describing it as a serious violation of privacy and an issue that compromises the trust veterans have in the system.

“I urge you to buck the employee union...and immediately fire the employees who were caught snooping into the private medical records of Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz,” Mast wrote in the letter, which was shared with Fox News Digital. He also expressed concern about the impact this breach could have on veterans’ confidence in the VA, noting his personal reliance on the agency’s services as a combat-injured veteran.

The breach, first reported by The Washington Post, involves at least 12 VA employees under investigation for improperly accessing the candidates' medical records. This group includes a physician and a contractor who spent significant time viewing the files. While VA regulations strictly protect veteran records, it remains unclear if any information was disseminated beyond the VA.

Mast's letter also emphasized the need for an FBI investigation, particularly in light of concerns over foreign election interference. He referenced recent reports that Iran had sought to exploit vulnerabilities in U.S. elections, stating, “Safeguarding sensitive information about our public officials is critical to national security and the integrity of our democracy.”

VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes confirmed the agency had reported the allegations to law enforcement, reiterating that such violations of privacy would not be tolerated. The Department of Justice has yet to comment on the situation, and investigations are ongoing to determine whether the breached information was shared.