Watchdog accuses federal cybersecurity chief of using position to advance her interests

A watchdog group on Wednesday filed an ethics complaint against Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly for allegedly violating ethics laws by endorsing a book on her official federal Twitter account. 

The watchdog Protect the Public's Trust asked the Homeland Security inspector general to probe Easterly's promotion of Wired reporter Andy Greenberg's book, "Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Cryptocurrency."

Easterly deleted a tweet last month that said Greenberg's book was "SOOO good." 

The watchdog also found two additional posts from Easterly praising other nonfiction books. She later deleted those tweets as well. 

"Restrictions on federal employees endorsing products and services are important tools to prevent corruption and 'pay-to-play schemes,'" Protect the Public's Trust's Director Michael Chamberlain said.