Biden Energy Secretary and former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm violated the Hatch Act during an October 2021 interview when she used her office to promote Democratic candidates, according to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC).
Granholm’s violation was revealed after watchdog group Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust (FACT) requested that the OSC investigate comments Granholm made to media outlet Marie Clare on October 6, 2021.
During an interview with the outlet, Granholm said it was “good news … voting gave Democrats a bare majority (in Congress),” before attempting to clarify by stating she was “using Democrats as a substitute for the policies that you believe in, the policies that you would like to see happen,” the Detroit Free Press reported.
The OSC determined that Granholm’s comments crossed the line as they were “directed at the success of the Democratic Party.” The special counsel, however, decided not to pursue disciplinary action. Instead, the OSC slapped Granholm with a warning, writing that she had not received “significant” training on the Hatch Act before making those comments. Granholm was sworn in as energy secretary in late February 2021, more than seven months prior to making her comments about Democratic candidates.
“Secretary Granholm has been advised that if in the future she engages in prohibited political activity while employed in a position covered by the Hatch Act, we will consider such activity to be a willful and knowing violation of the law,” the OSC letter sent to FACT on June 9 said.
The Hatch Act, passed in 1939, prohibits federal government employees from engaging in “activity directed at the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group – while the employee is on duty, in any federal room or building, while wearing a uniform or official insignia, or using any federally owned or leased vehicle.”
A Department of Energy spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that Granholm had received a warning from the OSC.
“Secretary Granholm takes her ethics obligations seriously,” the spokesperson said, according to Fox News. “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.”
I get really tired of seeing these headlines for articles that says such and such Biden Administration Liberals violate a law or this Act, making us think through the article something will actually be done then halfway through it they tell us they get a free pass. Nothing will ever be done as far as accountability as long as we continue with the large number of spineless, ball less and weak kneed Republicans and RINO’s. Even if the Repubs take back the majority, I’m willing to be that a new batch of newly elected RINO’s will surface to screw things up. Most of the current RINO’s aren’t up for re-elections until 2026 including McConnell, Graham and others.
Marxist Democratic Communist Scum have no ethics. Rules are made for honest people Not For Communists.
Where’s the renewable energy plan for America we have no natural energy source for electric charging stations when they finally get started to install them we’re looking at minimum 8 years with if your lucky 2 million stations nation wide as for the vehicles 3.5 million EV’s are going to take a minimum of 5 years to complete and you have NO technicians to service these vehicles that’s another 4 years training and last but not least batteries for these vehicles do you realize it takes 4500 gallons of water to put out a battery fire for these vehicles that’s a major problem? This green deal has already stalled because nobody came up with a plan, but wait I did I looked at the future you overlooked Ms Grandholm what you need to get your boss to do in the meantime for the sake of America and now the European Unions we all need Gas Biden needs to reopen the Keystone pipeline with its clean natural energy resources to be used by America and Europe this is called common sense Russian oil along with the Middle East who turned biden down their is no other choice not one country is going to back Biden with gas and oil! America needs to be self sustaining whether he likes it or not and you need to tell them that! 8 years before the EV’S are up and running at full capacity we need the oil and gas now everyday hard working Americans need the gas that is the right thing to do because seriously the demos are going to be slaughtered in Nov 2022!
As a retired Fed, we all had training on the Hatch Act when first employed, plus reminder letters to all employees before every election season from our Secty of USDA. Does this investigation on her lack of knowledge mean she didn’t send any reminders to the DOE employees? If not she should have known better. If yes, it means she did know better.