Democrats Request Hatch Act Probe Of Republican Convention

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are seeking an investigation into "repeated violations of the federal Hatch Act by members of the Trump administration during last month's Republican National Convention". The Hatch Act prohibits civil service employees in the executive branch of the federal government, except the president and vice president, from engaging in some forms of political activity. Throughout the convention, administration officials "repeatedly used their official positions and the White House itself to bolster President (Donald) Trump’s re-election campaign,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to the independent Office of Special Counsel. “We are alarmed that President Trump and some senior administration officials are actively undermining compliance with — and respect for — the law", the letter said. However, Republicans argue that the administration officials have spoken in their personal capacity only and therefore did not violate the Hatch Act.