Federal government employees have been warned: Be careful what you say around the watercooler.
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel last week issued two messages, one via email and another follow-up advisory opinion, informing federal workers to tread carefully when doing anything that could be perceived as supporting or opposing Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign following a number of clarification requests.
“While on duty or in a federal workplace, employees are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or distributing items from President Trump’s 2016 or 2020 campaigns, like ‘Make America Great Again,’ ‘#MAGA,’ or, in the alternative, items directed at the failure of President Trump’s reelection campaign, such as those containing the slogan ‘#ResistTrump,'” the Nov. 30 opinion read. “This prohibition extends to activity on social media or in other forums.”
The OSC, which provides oversight for federal government personnel practices, also said employees needed to exercise caution when talking about impeachment so they do not seem to be advocating for or against its use with a particular candidate.
“Two employees may discuss whether reported conduct by the president warrants impeachment and express an opinion about whether the president should be impeached without engaging in political activity,” the watchdog’s guidance stated. “An employee may not, however, display in his or her office a poster that states ‘#Impeach45’ or place a ‘Don’t Impeach Trump’ bumper sticker on a government-owned vehicle because such conduct advocates for or against impeachment of a candidate for federal office.”
The OSC’s memos, applicable to the federal government’s estimated workforce of 2 million employees, were first reported by the New York Times and ABC News. The watchdog agency often regulates office behavior by ensuring compliance with the Hatch Act, the 1939 law that prohibits workers from using their official positions to campaign for or against political candidates, parties, or partisan groups.
A number of Trump administration officials have run afoul of the Hatch Act for their statements or social media posts, including White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and first lady Melania Trump’s communications director, Stephanie Grisham.
