Following Pascrell Complaint, Special Counsel Confirms Hatch Act Investigation of Trump Campaign Action involves illegal use of White House, OEOB as an Election Day campaign command center PATERSON, NJ – After U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) filed a letter of complaint on Election Night, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel has informed Pascrell[...]
The Trump administration has willfully violated the Hatch Act. Again.
As a reminder, it is a violation of federal law to use any government resources (“anything of value”) for “any political purpose.” (5 U.S.C. §§ 7322(3)(A), 7323(a)(2).) It is also illegal for any federal employee to engage in political activity “in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties by an individual employed or holding office in the Government of the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof.” (5 U.S.C. § 7324(a)(2).)
Despite this, the Trump campaign repeatedly used the White House--including the Oval Office itself--and the old Eisenhower Executive Office Building for campaign activity on Election Day. The campaign claimed that “The arrangement has been approved by White House counsel.” In reality, however, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel “was not consulted,” and is now investigating Trump’s apparent violation of the Hatch Act.
If a violation is found, Special Counsel will notify the Trump administration and recommend the imposition of appropriate penalties. Which Trump will completely ignore, just as he has done consistently for the past four years. It’s a bit of a problem when the only entity that can enforce the Hatch Act is the same entity that keeps violating it.
