New Hatch Act guidelines prohibit talk of impeachment, use of terms "resist" and "resistance"

[highplainsdem]

Found this thanks to a tweet from Walter Shaub linking to a tweet from American Oversight, which is protesting the new guidelines:

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

American Oversight's statement on this, on their website:

https://www.americanoversight.org/new-guidance-for-federal-employees-political-activity-goes-too-far

The OSC guidance states that activity related to the “Resistance” or the use of that term is considered political activity under the Hatch Act, as is advocating for impeachment of an official who is also a candidate for future office (such as President Trump, who announced his 2020 candidacy in 2017).

American Oversight sent a letter to OSC expressing concern about the guidance and its serious policy and constitutional implications, noting that there is a difference between advocating for or against an official’s election (prohibited by the Hatch Act) and advocating that an official did or did not commit treason or high crimes (impeachable under the Constitution). OSC’s guidance suggests the opposite, arguing that since impeachment bars offenders from future public service it is the same as arguing that an official should not be re-elected.

OSC’s categorical prohibition on the use of “resist” or “resistance” terms as political activity is also too broad. The First Amendment protects employees’ right to object to administration actions and policies, and conflating such terms with electoral advocacy opens the door to public employees being retaliated against for their opinions. With the Trump administration already corruptly trying to root out the “deep state,” the OSC should not empower Trump appointees to target people who “resist” administration policies like family separation.

That page also includes the complete text of the new guidelines, including the third section about Trump's already campaigning for re-election making use of the terms "resist" and "resistance" political activity..


And please note -- the OSC or Office of the Special Counsel issuing these new guidelines

https://osc.gov/

has nothing to do with Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

[underpants]

1. Jeebus

[Freethinker65]

2. Ω

[highplainsdem]

3. ????????????

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. Hint: it shows up in crossword puzzles all the time, along with

Mel Ott, and Bobby Orr, and....

[highplainsdem]

5. I know it's the symbol for omega. I just don't get the relevance to my OP.

[highplainsdem]

6. Oh. Just did some googling. It's the symbol for ohm, measuring electrical resistance.

Okay...

[former9thward]

7. These terms would have been considered illegal during President Obama's term.

If you are opposed to the Hatch Act that is fine. But it will have to be repealed if you think government employees should engage in that type of political activity.