Biden’s Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm has violated Hatch Act during a late 2021 interview, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) said.
In the response letter sent to the Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust (FACT) on June 9, it was revealed that the OSC claimed that Biden’s energy secretary endorsed Democratic Party candidates during an interview in her official capacity with media outlet Marie Clare last October 6.
In the interview, Granholm made a statement, claiming that it was “good news” that voters have given Democrats majority control of the Senate and White House in 2020.
Erica Hamrick, the deputy chief of the OSC’s Hatch Act Unit, wrote a letter to FACT stating that the “OSC has concluded that Secretary Granholm engaged in political activity when she gave this response promoting the electoral success of the Democratic Party.”
Special counsel rules Biden's energy secretary violated Hatch Act https://t.co/hJlASDkP0F
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“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. 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.” Hamrick continued.
Moreover, the deputy chief also claimed that the OSC has determined that Granholm ultimately “engaged in activity directed at the success of the Democratic Party,” violating the Hatch Act’s use of official authority prohibition.
According to the 1939 law, it restricts how much federal employees can participate in partisan political activity.
However, despite the violation, the OSC claimed that disciplinary action wasn’t necessary. Hamrick explained that Granholm had not received any “significant” training regarding the Hatch Act before the interview in October.
Meanwhile, Hamrick made it clear that the OSC would be sending a warning letter to the energy secretary saying “further violations could result in action.”
“The Hatch Act is a very important law and it does maintain separation between government politics, and that protects both the citizens’ trust in government and taxpayer funds from abuse,” FACT Executive Director Kendra Arnold told Fox News Digital in an interview. “So, even though this was a singular finding and a singular interview, it is a really important issue.”
Furthermore, following the release of the piece to the public, a DOE spokesperson revealed in an official statement that the OSC recently advised Granholm of the violation.
“Secretary Granholm takes her ethics obligations seriously 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.” the spokesperson said.
