Kellyanne Conway and the Hatch Act
Power Line,
by
Paul Mirengoff
Original Article
Posted By: MissMolly,
6/15/2019 8:16:29 AM
Presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway stands accused of violating the Hatch Act. The alleged violations consist mostly of comments Conway made on various news shows disparaging certain Democratic candidates such as Joe Biden, Cory Booker, and Elizabeth Warren.
I very much doubt that the Hatch Act was intended to bar the president’s political advisers from criticizing potential opponents. The Office of Special Counsel (not to be confused with Robert Mueller’s former shop) is the outfit that found Conway guilty of Hatch Act violations and said she should be removed from her job. It describes the purposes of the Act as “to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion,
Reply 1 - Posted by:
franq 6/15/2019 8:55:54 AM (No. 98560)
Well, here comes another 2 year witch hunt.
3 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
HotRod 6/15/2019 10:01:30 AM (No. 98614)
Criticism of criminals is not political. Sorry if they happen to be democrats, but that's their choice.
5 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
klezmer 6/15/2019 10:02:43 AM (No. 98615)
She doesn't have a thing to worry about because... There's no controlling legal authority!
7 people like this.
Fox News is not the final arbiter of the "purpose" of the Hatch Act, as Mr.Mirengoff proposes. The stated purpose of the Act, as stated in the Act, is to "prevent pernicious political activities" by Federal employees, i.e. campaigning while on the public payroll. That includes Counselors to the President, such as Ms Conway. She has, according to Mirengoff, offered statements made on various news shows "disparaging certain Democratic CANDIDATES such as Joe Biden, Cory Booker, and Elizabeth Warren."
The Act is clear: "SEC 2. It shall be unlawful for any person employed in any administrative position by the United State ... to use his official authority for the purpose of ... affecting the election or the nomination of any candidate for the office ... Member of the Senate, or Member of the House of Representatives.... SEC.9. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person employed in the executive branch of the Federal Government, to use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or AFFECTING the result thereof..."
The penalty is also clear: "(b) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be immediately removed from the position or office held by him..."
Of course, if campaigning on the public payroll is okay, let's repeal the Hatch Act, let every Federal employee enjoy exercising their First Amendment rights in political campaigns on the job in their offices, or by using their official capacities. Better yet, let's go back to the days of raw patronage...out with yours; in with mine from laborers to cabinet secretary.
1 person likes this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
bighambone 6/15/2019 10:41:40 AM (No. 98647)
Kellyanne Conway is not a Federal Civil Service employee. Kellyanne Conway is a high level counselor to the President of the USA in the White House who was appointed by the President, and to do her job effectively must be able to communicate the President’s policies and political agenda to the country.
That is especially so these days, with the Obama directed leftist and liberal Democrat “Resistance” attacking the President and his political agenda 24/7. As part of the “Resistance” effort, the Democrats have been insinuating that the President and his high level staff should ensconce themselves in the White House and keep quite, stay off “Twitter”, and not talk directly with the American people, with instead all the President’s and his Staff’s remarks being run through a liberal media “filter” before they are released to the public, that is until the leftist Democrats can find “Something” to use to impeach the President, as chances are the Democrats know that the President is on track to be re-elected.
The so-called special counsel who authored the letter telling the President to fire Kellyanne Conway is an old John McCain connected establishment Republican operative, so common sense will tell you where he is coming from.
8 people like this.
The law is clear, whether one likes it or not.
0 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
mathman 6/15/2019 7:14:00 PM (No. 98958)
Agree with #5. The Act specifically refers to Civil Service employees, who are expected to be nonpartisan.
The Act has nothing to do with Counselors to the President.
It is the members of the Office of Special Counsel who are in violation of the Hatch Act!
So how about if we fire them?
2 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
msjena 6/15/2019 10:31:11 PM (No. 99007)
What “official authority or influence” is Kellyanne using? The Act is aimed at preventing things like coercing subordinates to support a candidate or actively interfering in an election like, for instance, unleashing spies on campaign associates without cause. See the Comey FBI.
1 person likes this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
msjena 6/15/2019 11:11:26 PM (No. 99025)
And the law is not so clear, especially when quoting from an old version of the Act.
1 person likes this.
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