The top U.S. prosecutor in Washington launched an investigation Wednesday into threats against federal workers, naming Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer as a target of the probe. The move comes after employees involved in Elon Musk’s government downsizing initiative reported receiving threats.
Interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin said the probe was prompted by a conversation with a senior staffer at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“Late last night I took a call from a senior DOGE staffer. We spoke about some pressing tech issues and then he told me about threats against DOGE workers. It is despicable that these men and women are being threatened,” Martin wrote in an email.
Martin dubbed the investigation “Operation Whirlwind” and named Schumer, the top Democrat in the Republican-led Senate, as a subject. “I reached out to Senator Schumer to investigate his threats,” Martin said. “He has not yet responded to me.” A representative for Schumer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Earlier this month, Martin announced a criminal investigation following a referral from Musk, who alleged that government workers were stealing property and issuing threats. The public post on Musk’s X platform violated several Justice Department rules regarding social media use and the disclosure of sensitive non-public information.
On Tuesday, the top prosecutor overseeing criminal cases in Martin’s office resigned, alleging that Martin pressured her to investigate a contract awarded during President Joe Biden’s tenure and to freeze the recipient’s assets despite a lack of evidence.
