The former Senate IT aide who allegedly “doxxed” Republican senators apparently downloaded “more information” than was originally thought.
According to Judge Thomas Hogan, speaking Wednesday in District of Columbia federal court, Jackson Cosko “downloaded more information than was originally understood” when he exposed Republican senators by posting their home addresses during Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings, The Daily Caller reported.
Apparently, the “terabytes of data” prosecutors found last month while reviewing evidence was so sensitive that the details could not even be shared before the public in the courtroom. Hogan reportedly ordered reporters and even Cosko’s mother to exit the courtroom while the findings were discussed.
BREAKING:Ex-IT aide to Sen. Hassan, Jackson Cosko, who allegedly doxxed senators at Kavanaugh hearings+blackmailed witness, “downloaded more information than was originally understood.” Breach was so severe that details couldn’t be discussed in open courthttps://t.co/ewgwzKYDTD
— Luke Rosiak (@lukerosiak) December 20, 2018
“The defense and government have filed a motion to seal the courtroom for certain matters that are not suitable for the public,” Hogan said.
There are only two reasons for what happened yesterday in court:
Either the Jackson Cosko breach on Senate data was EXTREMELY bad, like, classified level
Or the court is wrongfully hiding what happened w/ no legitimate basis other than to protect the government from embassment https://t.co/Lw0RiN6cYW
— Luke Rosiak (@lukerosiak) December 20, 2018
Cosko, who was arrested in October, had worked under Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and former California Sen. Barbara Boxer before a stint as an “intern” for Texas Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Despite a prior felony conviction – a drug charge from his college years – Cosko was given access to data in Hassan’s office after being hired as a systems administrator.
Cosko was already a felon at the time Sen. Hassan hired him and gave him full access to all her data as systems admin. Then she fired him for additional misconduct, but Sheila Jackson Lee hired him despite felony+firing.
Even after he was charged, he threatened to release info. https://t.co/Lw0RiN6cYW
— Luke Rosiak (@lukerosiak) December 20, 2018
Although he “was asked to resign” in May for misconduct, it was not clear if his IT credentials were revoked.
Sen. Hassan’s office had asked Cosko to resign in May, and he was hired by Rep. Jackson Lee shortly thereafter. Hassan’ office refused to say why he resigned or why it didn’t take additional measures or even, possibly, deactivate his IT credentials.
— Verdad Teller ❌ (@Truthteller1349) December 20, 2018
Jackson Lee hired the 27-year-old as an intern regardless of this background but fired him later. Cosko allegedly included his computer in Jackson Lee’s office in the effort to post to Wikipedia the home addresses and other personal information of Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch of Utah.
Even while these actions were being investigated, Cosko allegedly returned to Hassan’s office and logged into a computer there in October.
“The defendant was caught in the act of burglarizing the office of United States Senator Maggie Hassan (his former employer) for the purpose of illegally accessing a computer in the Senator’s office,” according to court papers, the Daily Caller reported. “When the defendant recognized that he was caught – by a staffer who knew the defendant well – he fled the office. However, only a few minutes later, the defendant sent a threatening e-mail to that same staffer.”
That email read, in part, “I own EVERYTHING … If you tell anyone I will leak it all. Emails signal conversations gmails. Senators children’s health information and socials.”
Prosecutors said they searched Coscko’s home and found “virtually a hackers’ obstruction checklist” and materials to impersonate congressmen such as stationary from Hassan’s office.
— Verdad Teller ❌ (@Truthteller1349) December 20, 2018
The former Democratic staffer “expressed intention to commit more similar crimes while charges were pending,” according to prosecutors who revealed in court filings that Cosko had bragged being able to download the data and had blackmailed an aide.
“His accomplishments in the computer world … allowed him to do the things he was doing … there’s a sense of great risk to the public” if Cosko can access computers, the judge said Wednesday. “If he has access to info that only he has the key to, he could cause difficulty.”
“Self-described at the time of doing it and maybe now still, he was malicious and hostile,” Hogan continued. “He downloaded more information that was originally understood. There is no combination of conditions that could ensure the safety of the community.”
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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