What puzzles me is why a journalist can find this information, but the geniuses running the country can't???

One does not find that which they are not looking for. They will conclude it all with apologies from Zuck and promises of oversight from officials promising this will never happen again (without clearly defining what "this" is). Then back to business as usual as the narcissists using it relax and go back to posting their selfies with duck lips pretending they add value to the world.