Site Discloses Salaries, Riles Capitol Aides

A site posting the financial records of highly paid Congressional staffers is coming under fire on Capitol Hill. LegiStorm publishes salaries, travel logs, and personal data on aides with six-figure federal incomes—a matter of public record, the Washington Post reports. But some charge the site crossed the line when it started publishing financial disclosure forms, which can carry Social Security numbers and other private info.

“It’s shocking,” says one chief of staff whose home address and bank account info were displayed. The site’s founder says other media outlets already carry the data, which can be a check against corruption. "Congressional staffers are among the most powerful people in Washington,” he says. “It's about time there was a little more scrutiny given to what they're doing.” The site has already taken down Social Security and bank account info, but Congress is warning aides to be vigilant—and rewriting its disclosure forms. (More LegiStorm stories.)