A VA nurse ran for Governor of Illinois despite warnings she was out of compliance with the Hatch Act. Image: Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffAn MSPB law judge has ordered that a VA employee be removed and debarred from future federal employment for two years after finding she violated the Hatch Act, the Office of Special Counsel has announced.
The VA nurse, who ran for Governor of Illinois beginning in July 2021, was warned repeatedly to come into compliance with the Hatch Act but refused.
Those are the most significant penalties possible under the law preventing certain partisan political activities by federal employees and are rarely enforced; many cases result only in suspensions, for example.
However, the law judge imposed them in a case in which the OSC charged the employee with violating the law by running for partisan office—despite warnings from both the OSC and the agency’s ethics office—and knowingly soliciting, accepting, and receiving political contributions.
The announcement said the ruling will be effective January 9 pending a possible appeal to the full MSPB.
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