Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway violated Hatch Act in TV interviews, federal investigators say

CNBC ^ | 03/06/2018 | by Dan Mangan | Christina Wilkie

[Nifster]

“The 1939 Act forbids the intimidation or bribery of voters and restricts political campaign activities by federal employees. It prohibits using any public funds designated for relief or public works for electoral purposes. It forbids officials paid with federal funds from using promises of jobs, promotion, financial assistance, contracts, or any other benefit to coerce campaign contributions or political support. It provides that persons below the policy-making level in the executive branch of the federal government must not only refrain from political practices that would be illegal for any citizen, but must abstain from “any active part” in political campaigns, using this language to specify those who are exemp”

Severe over reach. When will they nail McCabe?

[Moonlighter]

Ty. Figured it was something along those lines but I could swear I’ve seen a folk from non Trump admins also violate such, no?

[savedbygrace]

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in response to the report: "Kellyanne Conway did not advocate for or against the election of any particular candidate. She simply expressed the President's obvious position that he have people in the House and Senate who support his agenda."

That is correct.

[i_robot73]

Easy fix. Just say, “Fine. We’ll put her case RIGHT behind Lerner, Holder, Huma, Lynch, Comey....”

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Public employee unions are ALWAYS endorsing candidates.

ENDORSING!?

They are a paid campaign force for the RATs. Their summer vacations are spent campaigning for candidates up and down the ticket.....on your dime.

Until the unions are decertified, this will continue.

[Cboldt]

-- Figured it was something along those lines but I could swear I've seen a folk from non Trump admins also violate such, no? --

Yep. And in this case, OSC is itself engaging in a political act by going full technical vs. a person whose role is spokesperson, and then when asked directly, by the press, to weigh in on an election contest.

Sebelilus violation

[hal ogen]

Oh, please. Go after her only after all the thousands of criminals/traitors/seditionists in the DIM/LIB wings and DIM/LIB fed “workers” who are similar are gone after. What absolute horse excrement.

[Sam Gamgee]

So what is the rule? The POTUS can’t advocate voters to vote for one candidate, even his party, over another? WTF? Didn’t Obama spend his entire last year campaigning for Hillary?

[ifinnegan]

This is utter nonsense.

Note the bold:

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person employed in the executive branch of the Federal Government, or any agency or department thereof, to use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering ;with an election or affecting the result thereof. No officer or employee in the executive branch of the Federal Government, or any agency or department thereof, shall take any active part in political management or in political campaigns. All such persons shall retain the right to vote as they may choose and to express their opinions on all political subjects. For the purposes of this section the term "officer" or "employee" shall not be construe to include ......

[Steve_Seattle]

"The American Federation of Government Employees sends out cautions every election."

Which I am sure are never, never ignored or violated.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Is this the “No controlling legal authority” act?

[Tudorfly]

Apparently the Hatch Act violates the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I’ll go with the constitution.