(CNN) The US Office of Special Counsel has concluded that Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge violated the Hatch Act, the law that limits the political activities of all federal civilian executive branch employees, when she commented on Ohio politics from the White House podium earlier this year. Fudge, who joined White House press secretary Jen Psaki at a briefing in March, was asked about the special election to fill her vacant seat in Congress. In a letter dated Thursday to a conservative watchdog group that had previously filed a complaint against Fudge, OSC concluded that she violated the Hatch Act and said she has been issued a warning. "Accordingly, OSC has concluded that she violated the Hatch Act during her official appearance at the March 18 press briefing." The OSC official said that because Fudge "expressed remorse" over her comments and was counseled by HUD ethics officials about the Hatch Act's restrictions, "OSC has closed this matter by issuing her a warning letter."

Source: CNN May 14, 2021 12:45 UTC