"These are career employees who are members of the Senior Executive Service, U.S. Secret Service employees, employees of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, Administrative Law Judges, or Contract Appeals Board," it adds. The State Department defended Pompeo's actions saying he participated in his personal capacity. The President and vice president are among the few exceptions to the Hatch Act. The Office of Special Counsel is a government body charged with enforcing the Hatch Act, a law passed in 1939 that aims to prevent the government from influencing elections or acting in a partisan manner. Hatch Act penalties can range from an official reprimand to a civil penalty of up to $1,000.

Source: CNN August 27, 2020 14:37 UTC