DHS drops investigation into former acting CISA chief’s failed polygraph exam
Madhu Gottumukkala, acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, testifies during the DHS oversight hearing in the Cannon House office building on January 21, 2026 in Washington, DC. Heather Diehl/Getty Images
“We are pleased that the CISA personnel punished by previous DHS and CISA leadership for doing their jobs have been cleared of wrongdoing and invited back to work, as we demanded three months ago,” said a joint statement from Democratic Reps. Bennie Thompson and Eric Swalwell.
The Department of Homeland Security has dropped a probe into seven Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency staffers who were placed on leave after arranging a counterintelligence polygraph exam that the agency’s former acting director failed, according to two DHS officials familiar with the matter.
The investigation was closed about a week ago and the staffers were cleared, one of the officials said. Both spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to communicate details of the non-public investigation.
The move is a major reprieve for CISA staff who arranged the counterintelligence polygraph for then-acting director Madhu Gottumukkala. Gottumukkala failed the polygraph in July 2025, which was needed for access to a highly sensitive intelligence program.
The staff involved were subsequently placed on leave. At least five career CISA staff members and one contractor involved in scheduling or approving the polygraph examinations were impacted, and received letters from DHS Acting Chief Security Officer Michael Boyajian informing them their security clearances were suspended.
The news of the investigation being dropped was first reported by Politico, which also first reported the initial story about the polygraph incident late last year.
“The investigation has concluded, and this matter has been handled internally,” a DHS spokesperson said.
Nextgov/FCW has also asked Gottumukkala for comment.
“We are pleased that the CISA personnel punished by previous DHS and CISA leadership for doing their jobs have been cleared of wrongdoing and invited back to work, as we demanded three months ago,” said a joint statement from Reps. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., top lawmakers on the House Homeland Security Committee that has jurisdiction over CISA.
“We cannot, and will not, tolerate political leadership punishing career employees for faithfully executing their security mission,” they added. “We thank the career employees for their continued service and express our sincere regrets for the turmoil they experienced over the past several months.”
“Nonpartisan civil servants should never be targeted for political reasons,” Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., said in an X post responding to news of the probe’s dismissal.
The polygraph incident was among a smattering of other matters reported in recent months by Politico about Gottumukkala’s tenure. Last month, Gottumukkala was moved into a strategic implementation role in DHS, and executive assistant director for cybersecurity Nick Andersen took his place leading CISA in an acting capacity.
Nextgov/FCW could not determine if all affected staffers would choose to return to CISA. It’s also possible that some of them resigned in full and would not go back to public service.
CISA remains without permanent leadership. Earlier this month, CISA director nominee Sean Plankey told Nextgov/FCW that he left a role in the Coast Guard to address concerns from a Republican senator with a hold on his nomination, but the status of that hold is unclear.
DHS, which houses CISA, got new leadership last week after Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin was confirmed to the post in a 54-45 vote.