The White House Press Secretary recently came under fire from a watchdog group for allegedly violating the Hatch Act.
The United States Office of Special Counsel (OSC) revealed that Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany acted in violation of the Hatch Act, an ethics law meant to restrict federal employees’ political activities. The report indicated that McEnany had misused her official position to support President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign.
The OSC opened its investigation into McEnany’s behavior in September, after she publicly commented on President Trump’s conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The OSC said it had received numerous complaints that the Press Secretary had made partisan comments from her official platform.
McEnany responded to the OCS report by claiming that she was not the first Press Secretary to comment on politics from her role. She argued that her predecessors had also spoken on political matters in the same capacity.
Despite her defense, the OSC concluded that McEnany had engaged in prohibited political activities, which is a violation of the Hatch Act. McEnany was also found to have made false statements to the public regarding her own Hatch Act compliance.
The OSC issued a stern warning to McEnany, reminding her of her role as the Press Secretary and the importance of adhering to the Hatch Act. OSC further warned her to avoid repeating similar violations in the future.
The incident serves as a reminder of the White House’s responsibility to uphold ethical standards. The Hatch Act is an important law that prohibits federal employees from using their official positions to engage in political activities or to benefit their party. It is expected that White House employees adhere to the Hatch Act to ensure ethical government operations.