The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has determined that Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm violated the Hatch Act in 2021.
The Hatch Act bans those serving in a White House from explicitly endorsing a candidate for office.
Special counsel rules Biden’s energy secretary violated Hatch Act https://t.co/hJlASDkP0F
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 29, 2022
The ruling
“OSC has concluded that Secretary Granholm engaged in political activity when she gave this response promoting the electoral success of the Democratic Party,” according to Erica Hamrick, the deputy chief of the OSC’s Hatch Act Unit.
“While she then attempted to backpedal by stating that she was using ‘Democrats as a substitute’ for certain policies, at bottom she told listeners that they needed to vote for Democrats so that more Democrats would be elected to pass the legislation they wanted,” Hamrick continued.
“Her attempt to backpedal does not change the meaning of her words or undo the fact that she was talking about the Democratic Party throughout her statement,” she added.
Office of Special Counsel Finds Joe Biden’s Energy Secretary Guilty Of Violating The Hatch Act In 2021 Interview – Slay News https://t.co/PidUlorbIL
— Rivers Penn (@PennRivers) June 29, 2022
The results
The decision could lead to Granholm’s removal, though she will more likely not face such a consequence.
Granholm has also been criticized for her harsh responses over record gas prices.
Nov. 2021 – Biden’s Energy Secretary on Plans to Increase Oil Production
Bloomberg Politics pic.twitter.com/cGjuPBcpJ2— Wittgenstein (@backtolife_2022) June 22, 2022
The report also notes how Democrats are going too far to promote their own party while in power.
The party is also facing other concerns regarding inflation that could lead to a major red wave at the ballot box in November. Republicans hope to rebound following 2020 losses to take back Congress and help put a stop to some of the left’s more radical policies.