Democracy Dies in Darkness

At least 13 Trump officials illegally campaigned while in office, federal investigation finds

November 9, 2021 at 12:05 p.m. EST
The office of Special Counsel Henry Kerner on Nov. 9 said thirteen Trump administration officials violated the Hatch Act. (Video: Reuters)

At least 13 senior Trump administration officials illegally mixed governing with campaigning before the 2020 election, intentionally ignoring a law that prohibits merging the two and getting approval to break it, a federal investigation released Tuesday found.

A report from the office of Special Counsel Henry Kerner describes a “willful disregard for the law” known as the Hatch Act that was “especially pernicious,” given that many officials abused their government roles days before the November election. President Donald Trump — whose job it was to discipline his political appointees — allowed them to illegally promote his reelection on the job despite warnings to some from ethics officials, the report says.