Massive breach after a dozen Veterans Affairs employees ‘improperly accessed’ JD Vance and Tim Walz’s medical records days before VP debate

At least a dozen Department of Veterans’ Affairs staffers illegally accessed the medical records of vice presidential candidates J.D. Vance and Tim Walz over the summer.

The discovery of a bomb, first reported by the WashingtonPost reveals a major breach at one of the largest agencies in the US, which has more than 450,000 employees and serves more than 9 million veterans.

The revelation also comes on the eve of the vice-presidential debate between the two men, the last scheduled showdown between a candidate before Election Day.

VA officials have said they are investigating the data breach internally and that the hack came through the department’s Veterans Health Administration.

The Justice Department is also investigating the hack, a VA official confirmed to DailyMail.com.

“We have reported to law enforcement authorities allegations that VA personnel may have unlawfully accessed veterans’ data,” VA press secretary Terrence Hayes told DailyMail.com in a statement.

“We take the privacy of the veterans we serve very seriously and have strict policies in place to protect their information.”

“Any attempt to unlawfully access veterans’ data by VA personnel is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. If you have any further questions regarding this matter, please contact the Department of Justice.”

Both the Vance and Walz campaigns were reportedly notified of the security breach.

VA Inspector General Michael Missal’s office shared evidence that the VP candidate’s accounts had been accessed with DOJ federal prosecutors, law enforcement officials told the Washington Post.

Among that evidence are records showing that a doctor and a contractor spent an extended period reviewing the politician’s medical profiles, raising concerns about the suspect’s motives.

Both suspects used their agency login credentials and computers to access private medical records.

Representatives for Vance declined to comment, while Walz’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Apparently the candidate’s data was accessed in July and August, but was only discovered later in August following a security investigation.

These visits to high-profile veterans occur periodically, sources told the outlet.

One of the key questions law enforcement officials hope to answer with their investigation is whether the opened files have been shared externally.

Intimate details such as disability compensation were not accessible during the data breach, officials told the Washington Post, because they were stored behind an interface that requires consent.

Some employees who were given access to personal medical records interviewed by law enforcement told them they did so out of curiosity.

The breach even led to the sending of an internal memo informing employees of the agency’s data privacy requirements.

The announcement did not mince words.

“Veterans’ information may be accessed only as necessary to perform officially authorized and assigned duties as an employee, contractor, volunteer or other personnel,” according to a copy of the notice obtained by DailyMail.com.

“Viewing a veteran’s records out of curiosity or concern – or for any purpose not directly related to officially authorized and assigned duties – is strictly prohibited.”

“Failure to comply with these requirements may result in disciplinary action, including expulsion, as well as referral to law enforcement authorities for civil penalties and criminal prosecution.”

Walz served 24 years in the Minnesota National Guard, while Vance served four years in the Marine Corps.

The military credentials of both candidates have come into play during the campaign trail.

Walz is embroiled in a scandal in which he allegedly exaggerated his service record and claimed that he had carried weapons during the war, while he never actually did so.

He was also criticized for withdrawing from his unit shortly before it was deployed to the Middle East.

Members of that military unit have criticized Walz for abandoning them at the last minute before launching his bid for Congress.

Vance’s service involves his role as a military journalist. The Republican, like critics, has noted that he never served in a combat role.