An employee of the US Treasury Department violated federal law by retweeting a message by President Donald Trump that touted recent Republican election victories ahead of the November midterm elections, former US Office of Special Counsel Communications Director Nick Schwellenbach said in an interview on Wednesday.
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) An employee of the US Treasury Department violated Federal law by retweeting a message by President Donald Trump that touted recent Republican election victories ahead of the November midterm elections, former US Office of Special Counsel Communications Director Nick Schwellenbach said in an interview on Wednesday.
Schwellenbach told CNBC the Treasury Department violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activities while on the job. This rule, however, does not apply to the US president or vice president.
"Its a clear violation," Schwellenbach, who is now the director of investigations at the nonpartisan good government group Project on Government Oversight, said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump praised via Twitter the recent Republican election victories in eight out of nine special elections and proclaimed a "red wave" coming in the midterm elections in November.
A Treasury Department representative told CNBC that the retweet was done in error.
The Office of Special Council, which enforces the Hatch Act, confirmed that it was aware of the retweet but did not comment on whether it will investigate the incident.
A number of White House employees and other government officials have been cited for violations of the Hatch Act in the past, including US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, White House Director of Social Media Dan Scavino Jr. and counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway.
