In recent developments, over fifty Democratic lawmakers have formally requested explanations from senior U.S. government officials regarding a possible exposure of sensitive information related to American workers. This concern stems from whistleblower disclosures related to the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team.
The representatives, part of the Congressional Labor Caucus, addressed their concerns in a letter to William Cowen, the acting General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The NLRB is an independent agency responsible for investigating and adjudicating complaints about unfair labor practices and safeguarding workers’ rights to unionize within the United States.
The letter follows an NPR report revealing that a whistleblower within the NLRB’s IT department, Daniel Berulis, raised alarms over possible data breaches. Berulis claims that DOGE may have removed sensitive labor information and compromised NLRB’s security systems. The lawmakers expressed grave concern over these claims, emphasizing the potentially reckless handling of sensitive personal data that might lead to retaliation against workers involved in legally protected union activities.
Berulis detailed his concerns in his official whistleblower disclosure, noting that the apprehensions began when President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency team sought unauthorized, untracked access to NLRB systems. According to Berulis, these actions coincided with significant data leaving the agency while security features were disabled.
Further worries were expressed regarding DOGE’s leadership, including adviser Elon Musk, who might gain unfair advantage from access to sensitive information at a time of ongoing NLRB cases involving Musk’s companies, such as SpaceX and Tesla. Lawmakers questioned the relevance of internal NLRB data to DOGE’s stated goals of enhancing government efficiency and reducing federal spending.
While the NLRB refuted records of DOGE’s early March visit and any granted system access, the agency confirmed conducting an internal review which reportedly found no evidence of a breach. However, Berulis insists that the forensic evidence he provided calls for further examination by more resource-equipped agencies.
The situation unfolds against the backdrop of ongoing legal cases against DOGE, accusing the agency of mishandling sensitive government data across various sectors, including the Treasury and Social Security Administration. Lawmakers continue to seek a transparent investigation and answers to prevent any potential conflict of interest or misuse of sensitive information.
