WASHINGTON (AP) – Since assuming the role of White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre has become known for frequently dodging questions by citing the Hatch Act. The law prohibits officials from engaging in politics during their day jobs, and Jean-Pierre uses it to deflect campaign-related questions from reporters.
But apparently he wasn’t careful enough. The Office of Special Counsel, a government enforcement agency the Hatch Actsaid in a recent letter that Jean-Pierre violated the law before last year’s midterm elections.
His offense: making frequent references to “MAGA Republicans” during White House briefings.
According to a letter from the Office of Special Counsel, Jean-Pierre “made these references to generate opposition to Republican candidates” and “therefore, making the references constituted political activity.”
The letter was published online by The Washington Post. It was first reported by NBC News.
Penalties for violations of the Hatch Act are rare, and the office did not recommend a fine or other punishment for Jean-Pierre.
Violations were much more frequent under President Donald Trump. The Office of Special Counsel sent one “unprecedented” 15 warning letters to senior Trump administration officials about Hatch Act violations, and even recommended the firing of top adviser Kellyanne Conway.
Jean-Pierre faced scrutiny after a conservative organization called Protect the Public’s Trust filed a complaint.
The organization said Jean-Pierre “was disparaging President Biden’s political opponents as ‘mega MAGA Republican officials who don’t believe in the law.'”
Jean-Pierre said the White House counsel’s office was reviewing the letter, adding that “we do everything we can” to comply with the law and take it “very seriously.”
“At the time, I was given permission to use that terminology,” he said. Jean-Pierre said the term was used “in the context of talking about their policies, when talking about their values.”
She noted that some reporters often express “friendly dismay” about how often she cites the Hatch Act, and suggested she was confused by the violation.
After all, he said, the Trump White House used the phrase “MAGA” about 2,000 times to describe his administration’s policies.
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