U.S. Congressman Jim Himes was named in a list of U.S. officials connected to a private organization founded by tech billionaire Peter Thiel.
An investigation by Wired magazine revealed the details of the society’s internal records. The private, invite-only organization called Dialog hosts off-the-record annual retreats and was founded 2o years ago. WIRED reported that it independently verified an anonymous tip from a hacktivist who discovered the list in a website's code directory. The leaked registration lists Silicon Valley executives next to senior US officials who oversee their industries.
Himes is a member of the Financial Services Committee and the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The committee conducts oversight of the United States Intelligence Community. In the past, it’s overseen agencies Palantir contracts with. Himes’s name appeared alongside Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale. The company’s software was used previously by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Pentagon.
WSHU reached out for a comment. A representative for Himes replied, “Congressman Himes attended one annual conference held by the Dialog group roughly a decade ago. Since then, he has had no affiliation with the group and attended no additional events."
WIRED reported that none of the registrants used a government email address. This means that attendance records would not be subject to public-records laws. The organization is slated to have a retreat in August. According to WIRED, records show the organization’s members but do not show who is registered to attend the 2026 retreat.
