Another perfectly Trumpian assignment

 

Trump’s nominee to head the OSC is stalled in the Senate. A White House official told NBC News that Paul Ingrassia, a former podcast host with a history of incendiary commentary, is meeting with senators in one-on-one meetings over the next month before a confirmation vote takes place.

[...]

President Donald Trump and other prominent Republicans have alleged that [Smith's] investigations into then-candidate Trump amounted to illegal political activity.

  NBC News

Obviously it wasn't illegal.

On Wednesday, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., requested that the OSC investigate Smith for “unprecedented interference in the 2024 election.”

[...]

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal agency, confirmed to NBC News on Saturday that it's investigating Smith for alleged violations of the Hatch Act, a law that prohibits certain political activities by government officials. Trump and his allies have not presented specific evidence of wrongdoing.

Well, what a fucking surprise.

The independent agency lacks the authority to bring criminal charges and prosecute individuals who violate the Hatch Act, but it may seek disciplinary action for a federal government employee, such as removal from the civil workforce, or refer its findings of Hatch Act violations to the DOJ for investigation.

If they're looking for violations of the Hatch Act, they could be kept busy night and day in Trump's administration.

Disgusting.

The rule of law presupposes that there are, well, rules. These rules are supposed to provide a consistent, repeatable, and, most important, knowable set of outcomes. Predictability is the key feature of a functioning rules-based system, because people have to know the rules—and the consequences of breaking them—before they act. The difference between living under the rule or law and living by the whims of a madman is that the rights, responsibilities, prohibitions, and privileges of your situation do not change radically every time a person in power throws a hissy fit.

But the Supreme Court has decided that rules and laws do not apply to Trump, and they don’t protect anybody from Trump. That means that the rule of law is functionally dead in this country.

  The Nation

UPDATE 08/03/2025:

 And another!

For the love of Pete.  We are in absurd world.

SDNY.  What has been known for decades as "the Sovereign District of New York."  The country's premier DOJ agency.  There goes that reputation.*

UPDATE 08/08/2025:

New DC US Attorney and former Fox host Jeanine Pirro was back on Fox complaining that nobody wants to work for her. Laura Ingraham: “I’ve been hearing that there is a big problem with staffing—what’s going on? Pirro: I’m down 90 prosecutors. If you want a job in the largest US Attorney’s office, contact me.”

  Meidas Touch

*CORRECTION:  She's not at SDNY, she's at DC. 

UPDATE 10/15/2025:


UPDATE 10/20/2025:

All the worst people

 

Someone's going to get replaced soon

President Donald Trump has called Black Lives Matter a symbol of hate. But his government has likened it to the tea party and told federal agencies that employees are free to express their support for the movement at work.

The Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal watchdog, informed fellow agencies that supporting Black Lives Matter is not a political activity because the Black Lives Matter Global Network is not a partisan political group. That means federal employees can wear or display BLM paraphernalia in the workplace — and even invite others to a BLM fundraiser — without violating the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from participating in certain partisan political activity.

  Politico

The Trumps have got a lot of nerve to complain about GLM slogans when Ivanka and Trump himself are shamelessly advertising for Goya products.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Trump's own administration says Kellyanne Conway should be fired

A United States federal watchdog agency has recommended that White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway be fired for repeatedly violating a law that limits certain political activities of federal employees.

The US Office of Special Counsel (OSC) said in a statement on Thursday that Conway has become a "repeat offender" of the Hatch Act by disparaging Democratic presidential candidates while speaking in her official capacity during television interviews and on social media.

"Given that Ms Conway is a repeat offender and has shown disregard for the law, OSC recommends that she be removed from federal service," the statement said.

  alJazeera

But she won't be. Trump himself does it all the time.

The OSC is unrelated to Special Counsel Robert Mueller who investigated Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

[...]

Steven Groves, White House deputy press secretary, said the OSC action violated Conway's constitutional rights to free speech and due process and was pushed by media pressure and liberal organisations.

Hatch Act? We are not subject to the law here in the Trump administration.

Career government officials found to have violated the Hatch Act can be fired, suspended or demoted, and fined up to $1,000.

The president, vice president and certain other senior officials are exempted.

They shouldn't be.

No mention on hubby George's Twitter account yet.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE:

President Trump said Friday he will not fire Kellyanne Conway as White House counselor for violating the Hatch Act, rebuking the recommendation of a top federal watchdog.

“No, I’m not going to fire her. I think she’s a terrific person,” Trump said during a call-in interview on “Fox & Friends.”

Trump said he will “get a very strong briefing” Conway’s Hatch Act violations, but suggested he will not recommend that she change her behavior.

“It looks to me they’re trying to take away her right from free speech, which is not fair,” he said.

  The Hill

UPDATE:



As Sarah Kendzior says, Trump, et al., thrill to getting caught - and getting away with it. They just don't like it if they have to pay any consquences.