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Hatch Act: Difference between revisions
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* In June 2019, the OSC sent a letter to President Trump recommending that White House counselor Kellyanne Conway be removed from federal service for repeatedly violating the Hatch Act.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-06-26|title=Violations of the Hatch Act Under the Trump Administration|url=https://oversight.house.gov/legislation/hearings/violations-of-the-hatch-act-under-the-trump-administration|access-date=2020-10-26|website=House Committee on Oversight and Reform|language=en}}</ref> This report follows the March 2018 OSC finding that Conway was a "repeat offender" for disparaging Democratic presidential candidates while in her official capacity during televised interviews and on social media.<ref name="BloombergHatchAct">{{cite news|last1=Gallu|first1=Joshua|last2=Allison|first2=Bill|title=Kellyanne Conway Should Be Removed From White House Job, U.S. Agency Says|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-13/ap-newsalert-federal-agency-recommends-kellyanne-conway-be-fired-for-repeat-violation-of-law-prohibiting-political|language=en|website=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]]|date=June 13, 2019|access-date=June 16, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=https://osc.gov/Resources/Report%20to%20the%20President%20re%20Kellyanne%20Conway%20Hatch%20Act.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614221133/https://osc.gov/Resources/Report%20to%20the%20President%20re%20Kellyanne%20Conway%20Hatch%20Act.pdf |archive-date=14 June 2019 |date=13 June 2019 |title=Covering letter and Report of Prohibited Political Activity Under the Hatch Act (OSC File Nos. HA-19-0631 & HA-19-3395 (Kellyanne Conway) |work=U.S. Office of Special Counsel |first1=Henry J. |last1=Kerner}}</ref> President Trump, when asked at a press conference, stated he thought the provision violated her free speech rights.<ref name="BloombergHatchAct" /> | * In June 2019, the OSC sent a letter to President Trump recommending that White House counselor Kellyanne Conway be removed from federal service for repeatedly violating the Hatch Act.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-06-26|title=Violations of the Hatch Act Under the Trump Administration|url=https://oversight.house.gov/legislation/hearings/violations-of-the-hatch-act-under-the-trump-administration|access-date=2020-10-26|website=House Committee on Oversight and Reform|language=en}}</ref> This report follows the March 2018 OSC finding that Conway was a "repeat offender" for disparaging Democratic presidential candidates while in her official capacity during televised interviews and on social media.<ref name="BloombergHatchAct">{{cite news|last1=Gallu|first1=Joshua|last2=Allison|first2=Bill|title=Kellyanne Conway Should Be Removed From White House Job, U.S. Agency Says|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-13/ap-newsalert-federal-agency-recommends-kellyanne-conway-be-fired-for-repeat-violation-of-law-prohibiting-political|language=en|website=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]]|date=June 13, 2019|access-date=June 16, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=https://osc.gov/Resources/Report%20to%20the%20President%20re%20Kellyanne%20Conway%20Hatch%20Act.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614221133/https://osc.gov/Resources/Report%20to%20the%20President%20re%20Kellyanne%20Conway%20Hatch%20Act.pdf |archive-date=14 June 2019 |date=13 June 2019 |title=Covering letter and Report of Prohibited Political Activity Under the Hatch Act (OSC File Nos. HA-19-0631 & HA-19-3395 (Kellyanne Conway) |work=U.S. Office of Special Counsel |first1=Henry J. |last1=Kerner}}</ref> President Trump, when asked at a press conference, stated he thought the provision violated her free speech rights.<ref name="BloombergHatchAct" /> | ||
*In August 2020, [[United States Department of Agriculture|Department of Agriculture]] secretary [[Sonny Perdue]] supported the president's re-election while promoting the Farmers to Families Food Box Program; Perdue was fined for violating the Hatch Act.<ref>{{Cite web|title=USDA chief violated Hatch Act by advocating for Trump re-election, gov't watchdog says|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/usda-head-perdue-violated-hatch-act-advocating-trump-re-election-n1242687|access-date=2020-10-26|website=[[NBC News]]|date=9 October 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Beitsch|first=Rebecca|date=2020-10-08|title=USDA's Perdue fined for violating Hatch Act while promoting food boxes|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/520240-usdas-perdue-fined-for-violating-hatch-act-while-promoting-food-boxes|access-date=2020-10-26|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Mccrimmon|first=Ryan|date=2020-10-08|title=Perdue rebuked for violating ethics law by boosting Trump's reelection|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/08/perdue-ethics-trump-reelection-428018|access-date=2020-10-26|website=[[Politico]]|language=en}}</ref> | *In August 2020, [[United States Department of Agriculture|Department of Agriculture]] secretary [[Sonny Perdue]] supported the president's re-election while promoting the Farmers to Families Food Box Program; Perdue was fined for violating the Hatch Act.<ref>{{Cite web|title=USDA chief violated Hatch Act by advocating for Trump re-election, gov't watchdog says|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/usda-head-perdue-violated-hatch-act-advocating-trump-re-election-n1242687|access-date=2020-10-26|website=[[NBC News]]|date=9 October 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Beitsch|first=Rebecca|date=2020-10-08|title=USDA's Perdue fined for violating Hatch Act while promoting food boxes|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/520240-usdas-perdue-fined-for-violating-hatch-act-while-promoting-food-boxes|access-date=2020-10-26|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Mccrimmon|first=Ryan|date=2020-10-08|title=Perdue rebuked for violating ethics law by boosting Trump's reelection|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/08/perdue-ethics-trump-reelection-428018|access-date=2020-10-26|website=[[Politico]]|language=en}}</ref> | ||
* In August 2020, President Trump announced that, as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States]], and the move of the [[2020 Republican National Convention]] to a largely online format, he would make his speech accepting the | * In August 2020, President Trump announced that, as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States]], and the move of the [[2020 Republican National Convention]] to a largely online format, he would make his speech accepting the Republican Party nomination for the [[2020 United States presidential election|presidential election]] from the [[South Lawn]] of the [[White House]]. In response, the OSC sent a letter to President Trump indicating that, while both the President and Vice President are not covered by the terms of the Hatch Act, White House staffers are, and would therefore not be able to assist with such an address. Moreover, other portions of the Convention included clips recorded at the White House, including an interview with freed hostages, and a naturalization ceremony.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/26/us/politics/trump-naturalization-ceremony-rnc.html|title=Trump Takes Night Off From Anti-Immigrant Talk to Swear In U.S. Citizens|first1=Zolan|last1=Kanno-Youngs|first2=Michael D.|last2=Shear|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 26, 2020}}</ref> While Republicans argued that the South Lawn forms part of the President's residence, and therefore should not be classed as part of a federal building, legal experts point out that "[i]t's still illegal under the Hatch Act for any White House staffer to participate in executing a campaign photo op/video segment in the White House".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/08/25/rnc-white-house-convention-speeches-ethics-hatch-act-trump/5628864002/ |title=RNC: Trump criticized for using White House as a backdrop for the convention |last=Behrmann |first=Savannah |date=26 August 2020 |website=[[USA Today]] |access-date=26 August 2020 }}</ref> This could also lead to investigations for staffers who may have aided [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[Mike Pompeo]] (but not Pompeo himself) in his convention activities as he delivered a speech while on official business in [[Jerusalem]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.govexec.com/oversight/2020/08/feds-can-be-prosecuted-hatch-act-violations-though-pompeo-and-wolf-likely-clear/168041/|title=Feds Can Be Prosecuted for Hatch Act Violations, Though Pompeo and Wolf Are Likely in the Clear|website=Government Executive|date=27 August 2020 }}</ref> | ||
* As of mid-October 2020, 14 members of the Trump administration had been accused by [[Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington]] of Hatch Act violations to promote the incumbent's re-election.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/15/trump-administration-partisan-campaigning-hatch-act|title=Top Trump administration figures flout law banning partisan campaigning|date=October 15, 2020|website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> By the beginning of November it was up to 16.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-reports/sixteen-trump-administration-officials-violated-the-law-to-boost-trump-campaign-in-october/|title=Sixteen Trump administration officials violated the law to boost Trump campaign in October|website=CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington}}</ref> Senator Elizabeth Warren's staff released a report in which they "counted more than 54 violations of the Hatch Act by 14 administration officials dating back to 2017, as well as nearly 100 additional pending investigations for alleged violations by 22 officials".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2020/10/29/elizabeth-warren-trump-hatch-act-violations|title=Elizabeth Warren's office compiled a report on the Trump administration's Hatch Act violations. They counted more than 50.|website=www.boston.com}}</ref> | * As of mid-October 2020, 14 members of the Trump administration had been accused by [[Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington]] of Hatch Act violations to promote the incumbent's re-election.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/15/trump-administration-partisan-campaigning-hatch-act|title=Top Trump administration figures flout law banning partisan campaigning|date=October 15, 2020|website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> By the beginning of November it was up to 16.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-reports/sixteen-trump-administration-officials-violated-the-law-to-boost-trump-campaign-in-october/|title=Sixteen Trump administration officials violated the law to boost Trump campaign in October|website=CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington}}</ref> Senator Elizabeth Warren's staff released a report in which they "counted more than 54 violations of the Hatch Act by 14 administration officials dating back to 2017, as well as nearly 100 additional pending investigations for alleged violations by 22 officials".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2020/10/29/elizabeth-warren-trump-hatch-act-violations|title=Elizabeth Warren's office compiled a report on the Trump administration's Hatch Act violations. They counted more than 50.|website=www.boston.com}}</ref> | ||
* On November 5, 2020, the [[United States Office of Special Counsel]] opened an investigation into the campaign's use of the White House for campaign purposes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/524864-office-of-special-counsel-investigating-use-of-white-house-for-trump|title=Office of Special Counsel investigating use of White House for Trump campaign 'war room'|first=Brett|last=Samuels|date=November 6, 2020|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref> In January 2021, emails from before the election were reported to feature a "top" Interior department official instructing staff to reference the president's account in each post on social media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2021/01/29/stories/1063723931|title = POLITICO Pro}}</ref> | * On November 5, 2020, the [[United States Office of Special Counsel]] opened an investigation into the campaign's use of the White House for campaign purposes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/524864-office-of-special-counsel-investigating-use-of-white-house-for-trump|title=Office of Special Counsel investigating use of White House for Trump campaign 'war room'|first=Brett|last=Samuels|date=November 6, 2020|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref> In January 2021, emails from before the election were reported to feature a "top" Interior department official instructing staff to reference the president's account in each post on social media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2021/01/29/stories/1063723931|title = POLITICO Pro}}</ref> | ||