Federal watchdog says Trump can give convention speech at White House

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: CBS News

Washington — The U.S. Office of Special Counsel confirmed federal law does not preclude President Trump from delivering a speech at the White House to accept the GOP's presidential nomination during this month's Republican National Convention.

The guidance from the agency came in an advisory opinion issued in response to a request from Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney of New York, the chairwoman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, concerning the Hatch Act, a federal law that governs the political activity of executive branch employees. The Office of Special Counsel is an independent agency responsible for enforcing the Hatch Act and other laws concerning federal employees.

"The president and the vice president are not covered by any provisions of the Hatch Act," Erica Hamrick, deputy chief of the office's Hatch Act Unit, told Maloney in a letter Wednesday. "Accordingly, the Hatch Act does not prohibit President Trump from delivering his RNC acceptance speech on White House grounds."

After the coronavirus pandemic forced Mr. Trump to abandon plans for convention festivities, including his acceptance speech, in Jacksonville, Florida, he said last week he narrowed down possible sites for the address to the White House and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.



Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/federal-watchdog-says-trump-can-give-convention-speech-at-white-house/ar-BB17VbDH?li=BBnb7Kz

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. That's true. But the Hatch Act applies to all other federal employees.

So any WH staffer who participated in setting up or assisting His Lardship with the speech would be violating the law.

[TreasonousBastard]

7. Not necessarily true-- look at the definitions of Further-- and Less Restricted employees...

https://osc.gov/Services/Pages/HatchAct-Federal.aspx#tabGroup11|tabGroup31

[kiri]

14. Create gridlock

In DC or Gettysburg, we need 1000 cars and vans, 100 motorcycles, and 20 food trucks, to come the night before and occupy all the roads, create long lines everywhere.

At every intersection, block the box. You can't move cars out if there is no place to put them. ½ hr to move one car-length.

If trumpino calls out the national guard, it will only make the situation worse. His motorcade of 10 SUVs will never get there.

Nothing illegal here, just a whole lot of cars, traffic jams, and gridlock.

[Jedi Guy]

15. That'd accomplish absolutely nothing.

He'd simply get into Marine One and fly there. All it'd do is inconvenience and piss off the people who live there.

[LiberalFighter]

2. Erica Hamrick needs to lose her job.

[EarlG]

3. The President and Vice President aren't covered by the Hatch Act but

any White House employee who helps set up or manage this event in any way would be breaking the law.

Not that they care.

[TreasonousBastard]

8. See #7

[EarlG]

9. I dunno...

The list of prohibited activities for “less restricted” people still looks pretty restrictive...

[TreasonousBastard]

11. Basically, they can't actively campaign, and setting up the lights isn't campaigning. But...

even if it were, who's gonna do anything but whine about it?

[EarlG]

12. Looks to me like they're not allowed to do anything to help set up the event

"Less restricted federal employees may not: ... Engage in political activity – i.e., activity directed at the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group ... For example, while at work employees may not: Distribute campaign materials or items, display campaign materials or items, perform campaign related chores..."

But yeah, either way, nobody is going to care.

[jls4561]

4. I would love to see BLOTUS setting up the audio and video cables himself.

Talk about your shitshows!

[DeminPennswoods]

5. Better than having him defile Gettysburg

sorry to say.

[scarletwoman]

13. I agree. May as well use the White House, which has been already thoroughly defiled.

[MissMillie]

16. I'm with you

Maybe one more image of the White House with a big turd in it will remind voters to pick up their pooper-scooper.

[bucolic_frolic]

6. The 34% are frenetic with anticipation

The rest of the country? *YAWN*

[Joinfortmill]

10. It the least of our worries. He'll find a way to phuck it up.