Summary

In response to a request for a legal opinion regarding whether federal agencies may inquire about and consider an individual's political affiliation in selecting members for their advisory committees, GAO's opinion identifies general legal principles, under federal personnel law and other statutes, that may apply to the selection of advisory committee members. Determining whether a violation of these laws has occurred in a particular instance would require a thorough and nuanced examination of the particular facts and circumstances, and GAO did not investigate or analyze these issues with regard to the facts of any specific case. This opinion therefore should not be construed as expressing a view about the activities of any particular agency or committee.