The Hatch Act is important. Government personnel (other than the President and VP) cannot participate in political acts on government time and government facilities shouldn’t be used for political purposes. I am a retired federal employee and can tell you that the we were reminded about the Hatch Act, especially around election time.
The Republicans, who claim to support law and order, have now trashed it. Sad!
This is a LOT of Hatch Act violations in 2 weeks, even for an administration that has had a shocking amount. https://t.co/hhvnTDjPL6
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) September 7, 2020
I wrote up an explainer on the Hatch Act and why it is so disturbing that Trump flouts it so openly.https://t.co/eXIvMBuxZ6
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) August 26, 2020
As a lawyer who used to enforce the Hatch Act at the White House, this is absolutely not how it works. If they filmed it knowing and intending that it would be used at the convention (which they obviously did), it violates the law. https://t.co/oG4r1cqVYv
— Daniel Jacobson (@Dan_F_Jacobson) August 26, 2020
This is an outrageous statement from a WH chief of staff. He should be immediately fired. He has signed up to enforce the laws of the land not opine on their popularity. He is justifying criminality. Plain and simple. https://t.co/ZIFpkO9quE
— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) August 26, 2020
CREW: "This is so obviously, blatantly, insultingly a Hatch Act violation that it's starting to seem like the Trump administration is going out of its way to find new ways to violate the law. We'll be filing a complaint." https://t.co/LWJofSarIF
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 26, 2020
As notable as it is that this administration repeatedly flouts ethics norms, it is true that there are no real world consequences and the Hatch Act means nothing to most people. Many Americans will look at the WH pageantry last night and will think it's pretty cool.
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) August 26, 2020
And that is the sound of rule of law collapsing – from the “law and order” folks. https://t.co/HBh0wy6erP
— Midwin Charles (@MidwinCharles) August 26, 2020
The Hatch Act exists to stop the government from becoming an arm of political campaigns.
— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) August 26, 2020
It’s an anti-corruption law barring the misuse of public resources and positions.
The government is supposed to work for the people, not just one person.
That’s why we have the Hatch Act.
One of the most cynical moments I've seen in politics. https://t.co/7bPsvuAMWa
— Philip Bump (@pbump) August 26, 2020
Now that Trump's convention has openly violated the Hatch Act on national TV, a reminder: Only last week, Kayleigh McEnany refused to say whether Trump would accept the election's outcome — at an official press briefing, straight from the White House.https://t.co/QkdqVX0cQt
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) August 26, 2020
The Hatch Act was the wall standing between the government’s might and candidates. Tonight a candidate tore down that wall and wielded power for his own campaign. Citizen Trump is no longer presenting himself as a candidate. Now your government is telling you who should rule you.
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) August 26, 2020
And let’s keep our eyes on the ball:
— Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) August 26, 2020
Normalization of these Hatch Act violations is laying the groundwork for even more serious violations in the weeks ahead — as Barr’s Department of Justice and other agencies may be used to bolster Trump’s re-election campaign. https://t.co/aBUH86Cxrw
Chris Wallace on Fox citing the numerous breaches of protocol — and Hatch Act — we saw tonight.
— Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) August 26, 2020
Says people can decide for themselves whether it matters but makes clear that "all of this has never happened before."
Got some blowback for this line but… https://t.co/ivOPx2agB3
— Annie Karni (@anniekarni) August 26, 2020
The Hatch Act prohibits civil servants from using their title, office, or any sort of government resource while engaging in political activities, and the law imposes even tighter restrictions on those who work on national security matters. #RNC https://t.co/0JeVSXbC63
— BrookingsInst (@BrookingsInst) August 26, 2020
This is a good point. https://t.co/ixFFcmplNO
— Christina Reynolds (@creynoldsnc) August 26, 2020
White House role in Republican convention raises Hatch Act concerns
— Toluse Olorunnipa (@ToluseO) August 26, 2020
By @myhlee and @jdawsey1 https://t.co/d1I1Oma3xW
It's remarkable to see a president whose campaign is built around law-and-order violate the Hatch Act so systematically by using the White House as a RNC prop. The big law-breakers aren't in Portland, but in the White House. https://t.co/LC6BCluhcJ
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) August 26, 2020
A DHS official leading an oath ceremony in his official capacity during the RNC, behind the presidential seal, with the use of the military band – wondering about Hatch Act implications here.
— Michelle Ye Hee Lee (@myhlee) August 26, 2020
I live outside the Beltway and I care. I am a retired federal employee. Management and employees took the Hatch Act seriously when I worked and we were reminded of its provisions, especially near an election. What Trump did is disgraceful.
— Harris Levy (@HarrisL585) August 26, 2020
Do they explain why? Because this is garbage. The Rose Garden is used for official business.
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) August 26, 2020
Before he joined the ranks of voters who supposedly don’t “care” about the Hatch Act, Mark Meadows was one of the law’s biggest supporters. https://t.co/cqS8J2gsPd
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) August 26, 2020
Mark Meadows today: “Nobody outside of the Beltway really cares” about Hatch Act. https://t.co/oAXYPmS6yz
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) August 26, 2020
Mark Meadows in 2014: Government attorney should be investigated for tweets supporting Democrats. “She actually violated the Hatch Act… it’s troubling.” pic.twitter.com/gAV0G7BWry
President Trump steps up using the White House as an RNC backdrop despite ethical and legal concerns. https://t.co/40VMBpVZ38
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) August 26, 2020
It is likely high time for a mega-thread on the Hatch Act and threats to democracy. For the moment, though, here is a piece I wrote last summer for @madebyhistory in the @washingtonpost https://t.co/H7muB73AUP @KevinMKruse @julianzelizer @benraylujan @gmontoyamora
— Jason Scott Smith (@JasonScottSmit6) August 26, 2020
Sad! 