TED W. LIEU 403 CANNON House OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20515 CALIFORNIA [202} 225-3976 1645 Conmm Avenue. SUITE 101 ON THE Los ANGELES. CA 90025 Gangrene of the 331111211 ?tatnn comma-resent 3130MB of Representations FOREIGN AFFAIRS Washington. 211515?0533 October 25, 2019 The Hon. Mick Mulvaney White House Chief of Staff The White House 1600 Avenue NW Washington, DC. 20001 Dear Mr. Mulvaney: I write with great concern about recent reports suggesting that at least 12 senior White House cybersecurity officials have left or been forced out of their roles, potentially weakening the White House?s network defense. An article in Axios on October 23, 2019 details a disturbing memo written by former branch chief for network defense Dimitrios Vastakis, who resigned, and warns that the ?White House is posturing itself to be electronically comprised once again.? The article also distressingly says that the White House handed over cybersecurity responsibilities to ?non-PRA entities,? referring to the collapse of the Of?ce of the Chief Information Security Of?cer (OCISO) into another of?ce exempt from the Presidential Records Act. As you know, OCISO was established in 2014 to defend the White House and the Presidential Information Technology Community network from Russian hacking attempts. Your predecessor expressed concern in his resignation memo that OCISO staff are ?systematically being targeted for removal from the Of?ce of the Administration through various means? including ?revocation of incentives, reducing the scepe of duties, reducing access to programs, revoking access to buildings, and revoking positions with strategic and tactic decision making authorities.? While the immediate concern of a potential network breach is paramount, cyber in?ltration can also result in a long term serious threat to national security. Additionally, the apparent effort to move cybersecurity operations into an of?ce exempt from the Presidential Records Act ?ts the President?s history of obstructing and hiding transcripts and government business by manipulating internal bureaucratic procedures. A White House data breach would give our adversaries an untold advantage in almost every foreign policy and national security matter. Therefore, I request answers to the following questions: PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER 1. Is your office aware of efforts by members of the President?s team to oust career cybersecurity of?cials without good cause? 2. Are you taking immediate steps to staff the OCISO with quali?ed replacements following the mass departure of career employees, as detailed in the aforementioned article? 3. Why have White House cybersecurity responsibilities been delegated to the Of?ce of the Chief Information Of?cer (OCIO), which is not covered under the Presidential Records Act? 4. Will you commit to providing Congress with documents related to the decision to collapse OCISO into the 5. Have you been in contact with intelligence agencies including the Of?ce of the Director of National Intelligence and the National Security Agency about the concerns raised in Mr. Vastakis? memo? Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, 712W Ted W. Lieu Member of Congress