Deputy Attorney General under Merrick Garland, Lisa Monaco, allegedly covered up investigations into Microsoft’s cybersecurity breaches. Then, after she left the administration, she went to work for Microsoft.
The Story
In October 2021, she launched the Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative, a program using the False Claims Act to target government contractors who knowingly misrepresented cybersecurity risks. During her tenure, the DOJ brought such actions against companies with less severe misconduct, but no comparable case was ever brought against Microsoft.
The referral comes from the American Accountability Foundation (AAF), which argues that Monaco’s inaction allowed Microsoft to avoid accountability for:
At least five major cyber intrusions involving Russian intelligence, Chinese state-sponsored hackers, and Russian cybercriminals. Breaches such as SolarWinds, Hafnium Exchange Server attacks, Storm-0558, and Midnight Blizzard compromised U.S. government agencies, including Treasury, State, Commerce, and Justice. Microsoft employees warned about internal vulnerabilities in SolarWinds, which were allegedly ignored.
Internal warnings from Microsoft employees about vulnerabilities exploited in the SolarWinds attack.
The AAF claims the DOJ’s failure to act “raises questions” about ethics, recusal, and compliance with post-employment restrictions, especially given that Monaco joined Microsoft in May 2025 as President of Global Affairs just months after leaving government.
Monaco’s hiring drew sharp criticism from President Donald Trump, who accused her of being “corrupt” and “deranged.”
The AAF’s complaint also names other former federal cybersecurity officials who later took roles with Microsoft or its affiliates. The group is seeking a DOJ investigation into potential conflicts of interest and compliance issues.
The referral is a formal request for the DOJ Inspector General to review whether Monaco and others violated ethics or revolving-door rules and whether Microsoft could face liability under the False Claims Act.
MASSIVE BIDEN ADMIN COVERUP EXPOSED
Lisa Monaco, the former U.S. Deputy AG under Biden, has been referred to the DOJ for allegedly covering up investigations into Microsoft’s cybersecurity breaches.
You will never guess who she went to work for after the Biden admin…… pic.twitter.com/XhVbaV4dux
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 21, 2026