The Hatch Act report is damning -- of more than Trump's White House
A federal investigation has now confirmed what the whole country saw for itself: President Donald Trumps tenure was a parade of violations of the Hatch Act, the law that prohibits mixing governing with campaigning. The report is damning, not only of the previous administration but also of todays toothless enforcement regime.
The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) recounts over the course of 60 pages events that many already read about when they occurred. At least 13 senior officials exploited their roles and resources to boost their bosss chances in the 2020 election, including in the days before the contest creating the conditions for what appeared to be a taxpayer-funded campaign apparatus within the upper echelons of the executive branch. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a speech praising the presidents foreign policy from the roof of a hotel in Jerusalem during the Republican National Convention; acting homeland security secretary Chad Wolf conducted a naturalization ceremony from the White House grounds, also as part of the convention; Kellyanne Conway repeatedly appeared on television in her capacity as a White House counselor to disparage candidates from the opposing party.
These are only a few abuses and a few abusers among many. The law in question may seem esoteric, or even confusing: Where exactly is the line between the personal and the professional, or the professional and the political, for prominent public figures? Yet little about this case is in the eye of the beholder. These violations were flagrant and willful, occurring even after warnings from ethics attorneys. Ms. Conway, when asked about her transgressions in 2019, said, Blah, blah blah. These offenses persisted without punishment for four years, permitting those in power to manipulate the business of the state in an effort to maintain that power. The problem is, there is only one avenue for punishment of political appointees under the Hatch Act: The president of the United States must impose it. And, in this case, the president of the United States was condoning, and possibly directing, the misconduct.
This weeks report is blistering, yet its material effect on the previous administration will be next to nil. An employee who has already left the job cant be fired or demoted and, in any case, the OSC can only recommend such discipline. Whether to impose it is at the presidents discretion. This renders the Hatch Act practically useless for restraining those most in need of restraint. Congress can change that. The Protecting Our Democracy Act in the House of Representatives would empower the OSC to seek fines on political appointees whom presidents decline to discipline, much as it does regularly for rank-and-file civil servants. The bill would also ramp up the maximum penalty to $50,000. Members of the Senate rankled by the blatant undermining of nonpartisan government could independently draw up reforms, too. No White House should be able to blah, blah, blah away the consequences of breaking the law.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/11/10/hatch-act-report-is-damning-more-than-trumps-white-house/
Anyone remember the Republican outrage when Al Gore used his White House telephone to call Democratic donors?
BigmanPigman
(51,590 posts)Alexander Of Assyria
(7,839 posts)2naSalit
(86,586 posts)If you're General Schedule.
COL Mustard
(5,897 posts)If we mess up, the penalties are either a suspension (w/o pay) or removal.
As Mel Brooks said, "'s good to be da King".
monkeyman1
(5,109 posts)ancianita
(36,053 posts)ancianita
(36,053 posts)TNNurse
(6,926 posts)Apparently no one in the his White House and the current GOP even understand ethics and are immune to prosecution.
Evolve Dammit
(16,725 posts)They openly declared ethics don't f'in matter. And every action taken after that just reinforced it.
hay rick
(7,608 posts)When I worked for the Postal Service I couldn't park in the parking lot if I had a partisan bumper sticker on my car.
LiberalFighter
(50,912 posts)He didn't have to worry about it as he didn't have any bumper stickers.