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Return to Article: Employee advocates cite disparities in Hatch Act enforcement

• 35460
  

  So does the Hatch Act reflect on me if I want to run in a political office in my community? Can I do it or am I denied under this act? I'm confused.

  Dan Posted October 19, 2007 5:14 PM
• 35434
  

  I never have really understood why they feel it necessary to make the Military and Govt. employees give up rights that other citizens of this country enjoy.

  It is all about CONTROL!

  Bob Posted October 19, 2007 1:13 PM
• 35429
  

  As nearly as I can tell, the Bush administration does not love our Constitution and does not respect the rule of law. They view these sacred things as obstacles to their agenda that need to be changed or eliminated. As an employee of a very small and very political agency, just to maintain political neutrality on the job has been a challenge during the past 6 years. It's not enough to be neutral, they want us to be with them or be out. It's no surprise that they are viciously prosecuting federal democrats who violate the Hatch act in small ways. If they could prosecute us neutrals, they would!

  Ghee Tara Posted October 19, 2007 12:47 PM
• 35406
  

  These disparities are unfair and unamerican.

  Don Posted October 19, 2007 10:41 AM
• 35400
  

  I agree with the lead off sentence. The Senate committee needs (1) to have the Hatch Act Amended to have 1st offense a warning given to civil servants; (2) to level the playing field with political appointee were they are treated the same as the civil servant and remove the President from the chain were he determines what punishment he gives; when the Act spell out the punishment. If this Act is unequitable they should repeal it.

  Steven D. Kato Posted October 19, 2007 10:11 AM
• 35399
  

  This statement really jumped out at me....

  "The presumptive penalty for Hatch Act violations is termination, with 30-day suspension as the minimum penalty," Gage said. "The current [OSC] policy is that the Hatch Act does not provide for a warning to workers, or an opportunity to cease and desist from a violation before seeking the harshest penalties."

  This "current policy" unfortunately flies in the face of past OSC practices where people often received MULTIPLE warnings before ultimately being prosecuted.

  Further, it is without question that the Hatch Act is administered unfairly under this administration, depending on whether the employee is acting on behalf of the GOP or not. The discrepancy in how cases are handled depending on what party the employee is advocating for is really shocking! Sadly, all the courts that a person has a chance to plead their case before are now dominated by GOP lackeys who are really not that concerned with fairness.

  Jeff Posted October 19, 2007 10:10 AM