(Joshua Paladino, Headline USA) Government ethics watchdog Protect the Public’s Trust filed a complaint against White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre for using her position to “advocate for the defeat of a political party.”
In a letter to Henry J. Kerner, who handles civil service violations, PPT argued that Jean-Pierre may have violated the Hatch Act, a 1939 law that prevents civil service employees from using their non-partisan positions to advance partisan interests, Hot Air reported.
From the White House Press Briefing Room, while standing above the presidential seal, Jean-Pierre attacked Republicans with less than a week to go before the midterm elections.
“Unfortunately, we have seen mega MAGA Republican officials who don’t believe in the rule of law,” she said. “They refuse to accept the results of free and fair elections, and they fan the flames of political violence through what they praise and what they refuse to condemn.”
Jean-Pierre clearly followed President Joe Biden’s talking points because a few hours later he delivered an address that condemned “MAGA Republicans.”
Biden said Republicans will not accept the election’s results and plan to “attack” democracy.
Elected officials have full free-speech rights, but career bureaucrats cannot use their government-funded positions to bolster partisan interests.
“We request that you promptly investigate these potential violations and immediately intervene to ensure that the government officials do not abuse their official authority in an attempt to influence the results of the impending 2022 general election,” Protect the Public’s Trust wrote in the letter to Office of Special Counsel Hatch Act Unit and the President’s Counsel.
Jean-Pierre knows about the Hatch Act and the restrictions it places on her, so she cannot plead ignorance. She cited the Hatch Act seven times during a press briefing on Oct. 17.
“The comments appear to be clearly designed to influence voters in next week’s election,” said Michael Chamberlain, Director of Protect the Public’s Trust.
