Politics

Gov. Deal Won’t Investigate Secretary Of State Over Leak

December 2nd, 2015

Gov. Nathan Deal said Wednesday he won’t launch an independent investigation of Secretary of State Brian Kemp’s office.

BRANDEN CAMP / Associated Press File

Gov. Nathan Deal said Wednesday he won’t launch an independent investigation of Secretary of State Brian Kemp’s office. Georgia’s League of Women Voters called for an investigation this week over a massive data leak in October.

The leak occurred when the Secretary of State’s office accidentally sent out voters’ driver’s license and Social Security numbers on a CD-ROM to 12 media outlets and political parties. Kemp says all of the CDs were retrieved or destroyed.

Gov. Deal said he’s staying out of it.

“He is a constitutional officer,” Deal said. “I respect the separation of powers that our state constitution grants to other duly-elected statewide constitutional officers, just as myself. It’s in his jurisdiction, and I think he is responding, and we’re going to see what else he has to say. So, for me to intervene on that, I think would be totally inappropriate on a number of levels.”

Kemp has said he’ll hire auditor firm Ernst & Young to investigate. The League of Women Voters has said that’s not enough to ensure potential voters that their information will be protected.