The Office of Special Counsel has filed a Hatch Act political activities complaint alleging that a federal employee misused government time and equipment for partisan political purposes.
The OSC said its complaint, filed at the Merit Systems Protection Board, alleges that the employee “used social media to solicit contributions for political candidates and used federal agency computers to compose, review, and edit party-related materials, such as a “social media strategy” directed toward the success or failure of partisan political candidates.”
“In addition, the individual sent dozens of emails soliciting political contributions, composed and published several online articles soliciting party contributions, and used agency computers to update a party Facebook account during the workday,” the OSC said.
While formal complaints of this type are rare, they carry potential penalties including firing and debarment from future federal service.
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