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U.S. Office of Special Counsel
1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 218
Washington, D.C. 20036-4505
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NASA Employee Suspended for Hatch Act Violations
180 days for political
e-mailing and blogging on the clock
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 21, 2008
CONTACT: James Mitchell, 202-254-3607,
jmitchell@osc.gov
WASHINGTON, DC – Engaging in political activity while on duty in a federal
building has led to suspension for an employee of the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA), Johnson Space Center in Houston. The
employee has been suspended for 180 days without pay for violations of the
Hatch Act, which restricts the political activity of federal executive
branch employees.
An investigation by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) found that the
employee used his NASA e-mail account to send partisan political e-mails,
and made numerous partisan political postings to his blog while on duty in
his federal workplace. He was also found to have solicited political
contributions.
Throughout 2006 and 2007, he sent partisan political e-mails to various
individuals. Some messages were for coordination and planning of activities
of a local partisan organization, while others were to assist a candidate in
her campaign for state representative. During the same time period, he made
blog postings promoting campaigns of several candidates, including
individuals running for governor and state representative.
OSC’s investigation also revealed that on at least two occasions in 2006,
the employee solicited political contributions in violation of the Hatch
Act. He posted to a blog an invitation to a fundraising event, soliciting a
$20 contribution for a partisan political organization. He also posted a
message on another blog, asking for contributions of ten dollars or more to
support a candidate running for state representative.
The suspension for 180 days is the result of an informal agreement he
entered into with OSC and NASA. The suspension began March 30, 2008.
“There was time when the Hatch Act was about wearing campaign buttons in the
office, or engaging in political activity while on duty, wearing an official
uniform, or in a government vehicle,” said Special Counsel Scott Bloch.
“Today, modern office technology multiplies the opportunities for employees
to abuse their positions and, as in this serious case, to be penalized, even
removed from their job, with just a few clicks of a mouse.”
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The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is an
independent investigative and prosecutorial agency and operates as a secure
channel for disclosures of whistleblower complaints. Its primary mission is
to safeguard the merit system in federal employment by protecting federal
employees and applicants from prohibited personnel practices, especially
retaliation for whistleblowing. OSC also has jurisdiction over the Hatch
Act. For more information please visit our web site at
www.osc.gov or call 1 (800) 872-9855.
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