https://heavy.com/news/2018/10/jackson-cosko/Jackson Cosko: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
By Jessica McBride
Updated Oct 3, 2018 at 8:08pm
Jackson Cosko
Jackson Cosko, who calls himself a “Democratic Political Professional” with cybersecurity expertise, is accused of multiple crimes for allegedly doxxing Republican Senators during the Brett Kavanaugh/Christine Blasey Ford hearings.
The United States Capitol Police arrested the suspect, saying he allegedly “posted private, identifying information (doxing) about one or more United States Senators to the internet,” a statement said.
According to Legistorm, he worked for U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and previously worked for Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA). A September 2018 letter from Sheila Jackson Lee (D -TX) identified him as a staffer for her office at that time. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is a member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. (A different person working for Hassan was the intern suspended for shouting F*** you at President Donald Trump recently.)
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Jackson Cosko Was Accused of Everything From Witness Tampering to Identity Theft
Padres in our nation's capital for Close Up: Washington D.C. Thanks to Jackson Cosko '09, a staffer for Senator Boxer, for meeting with us! pic.twitter.com/gnJwRqGyDA
— Serra High School (@SerraSanMateo) November 9, 2016
The doxxing suspect was identified as Jackson A. Cosko, age 27, of Washington D.C. He was initially charged with making public restricted personal information; witness tampering; threats in interstate communications; unauthorized access of a government computer; identity theft; second-degree burglary and unlawful entry. You can read the Capitol police press release here.
The statement said the “investigation will continue and additional charges may be forthcoming.”
NEW: Capitol Police have arrested a suspect who they beleived doxed GOP Senators During the Kavanaugh/Dr Ford hearing last Thursday: pic.twitter.com/XOrociUoex
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) October 3, 2018
Authorities have not released the details of the alleged offenses.
According to Roll Call, on Monday, October 1, 2018, “Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s home addresses in Kentucky and Washington D.C. were added to his public Wikipedia page.” The site added that, during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing involving Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser Christine Blasey Ford, “the personal home addresses, home phone numbers, cellphone numbers and email addresses of Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Orrin G. Hatch and Mike Lee, both R-Utah, were added to the public Wikipedia pages from what appeared to be an IP address connected to the Capitol.” The information was then sent to thousands of people through a Twitter account.
A post in 2016 indicated Cosko used to work as a staffer for Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer. “Padres in our nation’s capital for Close Up: Washington D.C. Thanks to Jackson Cosko ’09, a staffer for Senator Boxer, for meeting with us!” read the tweet from Serra High School.
2. Jackson Cosko Says He Worked for the United States Senate Through May 2018 & a Letter Indicates He Was on Jackson Lee’s Staff in September 2018
sheila jackson lee
House Judiciary Committee ranking member Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX).
On his LinkedIn page, Cosko brands himself as a “Democratic Political Professional & Cybersecurity Graduate Student” who lives in the Washington D.C. Metro Area.
As his top work entry, he lists “United States Senate,” and states that he was a legislative correspondent and systems administrator from January 2017 through May 2018 in the Washington D.C. area. However, the Jackson Lee letter indicates he was working in her office as late as September 2018.
The letter starts, “I invite you to join me as an original co-sponsor of the Protect Lives and Stop the Imminent Chaos (PLASTIC) Act. The PLASTIC Act would establish a prohibition on the use of 3D printing technology to produce firearms, firearm components, or ammunition. It would also prohibit their possession and transfer.” At the bottom, it says, “Please join me as an original co-sponsor of the PLASTIC Act. To co-sponsor this legislation please contact Jackson Cosko on my staff at Jackson.Cosko@mail.house.gov” and then lists a phone number.
Here is the part of the letter mentioning Jackson Cosko. It’s dated September 10, 2018.
On LInkedIn, for the earlier position, he described his duties as the following: “Assist senior staff with issues before the Commerce Committee including technology, telecommunications, transportation; as well as with cybersecurity matters before the Homeland Security Committee.”
Fox has learned that Jackson Cosko, charged by USCP w/allegedly doxing senator(s), had worked w/Dem TX Rep Sheila Jackson Lee, fmr Dem CA Sen Barbara Boxer & current Dem NH Sen Maggie Hassan.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 3, 2018
He listed three other positions with the Senate. He said that he worked for seven moths as a press assistant and systems administrator for the Senate from July 2016-January 2017. “Also served as a Legislative Research Assistant covering technology, cybersecurity, space, science, and telecommunications,” he wrote.
He also wrote that he served as a staff assistant from April through July 2016 and as a press intern from January 2016 through March 2016. His Twitter page is deleted.
3. Jackson Cosko Worked as a Field Organizer for a PAC & as a Restaurant Server
On LinkedIn, Cosko also indicated that he worked as a server for a restaurant from December 2015 through 2016.
In addition, from July 2015 through November 2015, he wrote that he was a “lead field organizer” for Generation Forward Pac in Des Moines, Iowa.
He wrote that he worked as a volunteer for Change Inc. as a “community development specialist/case manager” in Washington D.C. on “poverty alleviation” in 2012-2014. He solicited donations and advocated for clients with governmental agencies.
On Facebook, Cosko followed the pages of many top Democrats, including:
He also worked as a youth sports program assistant for the Peninsula YMCA and was a 2008 recipient of the YMCA national organization “Star Volunteer” award. No campaign donations come up for him on the federal website.
On his Pinterest page, he wrote, “Knowin nothin in life but to be legit.”
4. Cosko Was an Intern for the U.S. House of Representatives
The profile picture on Cosko’s Facebook page.
In addition to his work with the U.S. Senate, Cosko was previously an intern with the U.S. House of Representatives. He said he held that position for six months, from August 2012 through January 2013.
He listed his duties as: “Assisted in planning and execution of fundraising, campaign, and other special events. Conducted research on impact issues and drafted press releases, letters to level government officials and agencies, as well as conducted social media campaigns in order to capitalize on earned media. Maintained databases of important media, donor, and constituent contacts for media/campaign efforts.”
In 2011, he was also an intern for the U.S. Senate. He listed his job duties as: “Attended Congressional hearings and briefings, conducted background research on salient political issues, and provided concise analyses and policy recommendations. Responded to constituent phone calls, letters, and requests. Provided constituents with case work assistance, advocating with Federal, state, and local government agencies. Supported executive assistant and scheduler with curating daily schedule of the Senator.”
His page does not list the names of politicians he worked for, however.
5. Cosko Studied Engineering & Cybersecurity
christine blasey ford brett kavanaugh
Getty/Palo Alto University
Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh
Cosko wrote on LinkedIn that he was receiving a master’s of engineering degree from George Washington University in the field of cybersecurity policy and compliance.
He indicated that his expected graduation date was 2020. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science and communications, earning it in 2014.
On Facebook, where he doesn’t have much publicly visible, Cosko wrote that he lives in Washington, District of Columbia and is from Burlingame, California.
Brett Kavanaugh, his wife, and his accuser Christine Blasey Ford have all reported receiving death threats as security and tensions remain high during the contentious Supreme Court nomination process.