Do you recall when Democrats repeatedly accused different Trump staffers with breaking the Hatch Act? They certainly have quieted down now, despite the fact that it has been established that one of their own committed the crime herself.
Jennifer Granholm, a former governor of Michigan and Biden’s energy secretary, allegedly broke the Hatch Act in an interview in October 2021 by exploiting her position to support Democratic candidates.
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel’s investigation into comments Granholm made to media outlet Marie Clare on October 6, 2021, which led to the discovery of Granholm’s violation, was requested by watchdog group Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust (FACT).
As reported by the Detroit Free Press, Granholm stated in an interview with the outlet that it was “good news… voting gave Democrats a bare majority (in Congress)” before attempting to clarify by saying she was “using Democrats as a substitute for the policies that you believe in, the policies that you would like to see happen.”
According to the OSC, Granholm’s remarks were inappropriate since they were “directed towards the success of the Democratic Party.” The special counsel decided against discipline. Instead, the OSC warned Granholm, saying she hadn’t undergone “significant” Hatch Act training. Granholm became energy secretary in late February 2021, more than seven months before her remarks regarding Democrat candidates.
“Secretary Granholm has been advised that if in the future she engages in prohibited political activity while employed in a position covered by the Hatch Act, we will consider such activity to be a willful and knowing violation of the law,” the OSC letter sent to FACT on June 9 said.
The Hatch Act, passed in 1939, prohibits federal government employees from engaging in “activity directed at the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group – while the employee is on duty, in any federal room or building, while wearing a uniform or official insignia, or using any federally owned or leased vehicle.”
“Secretary Granholm takes her ethics obligations seriously,” the spokesperson said, according to Fox News. “And, she remains laser focused on delivering President Biden’s equitable clean energy agenda which will help lower energy costs for American families and enhance our nation’s security.”