Veepstakes Contender & Head of HUD Castro Violated the Hatch Act

Looks like he got the once over for having campaigned for HRC when he is not allowed to do so.

The Hatch Act explained by OSC (Office of Special Counsel)
The Hatch Act, a federal law passed in 1939, limits certain political activities of federal employees, as well as some state, D.C., and local government employees who work in connection with federally funded programs. ​The law’s purposes are to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion, to protect federal employees from political coercion in the workplace, and to ensure that federal employees are advanced based on merit and not based on political affiliation.​​​​ ​​

Here's CNN's take on it:

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro violated a federal law against mixing official business with politics when he touted Hillary Clinton in an April interview with Yahoo's Katie Couric, the Office of Special Counsel said Monday.

The Hill:

HUD's Castro violated law against political activity

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro violated a law that prohibits federal employees from making personal political statements while appearing in an official capacity, according to a new report.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) released a report on Monday concluding that Castro, considered a possible running mate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, violated the Hatch Act during a Yahoo News interview with Katie Couric on April 4 by sharing his views of the presidential candidates.

“Secretary Castro’s statements during the interview impermissibly mixed his personal political views with official agency business despite his efforts to clarify that some answers were being given in his personal capacity,” the OSC report said.

Press release.

Report of Office of Special Counsel addressed to President Obama:

As explained in the accompanying report, OSC concluded that Secretary Castro
violated the Hatch Act by advocating for and against Presidential candidates while giving
a media interview in his official capacity on April 4, 2016. Secretary Castro’s statements
during the interview impermissibly mixed his personal political views with official
agency business despite his efforts to clarify that some answers were being given in his
personal capacity.

The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from using their official authority or
influence to affect the outcome of an election. While federal employees are permitted to
make partisan remarks when speaking in their personal capacity, the Hatch Act restricts
employees from doing so when using an official title or when speaking about agency
business.

As the upcoming Presidential election approaches, this report offers an
opportunity to deter violations by reminding federal employees of the Hatch Act’s
restrictions.

Castro's response to Special Counsel Lerner:

Dear Ms. Lerner:
I have received your analysis of an interview I provided to Yahoo! News last April.
In responding to a journalist's question about the 2016 election, I offered my
opinion to the interviewer after making it clear that I was articulating my personal
view and not an official position. At the time, I believed that this disclaimer was
what was required by the Hatch Act. However, your analysis provides that it was
not sufficient.
Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention. When an error is made - even
an inadvertent one - the error should be acknowledged. Although it was not my
intent, I made one here.
I appreciate your staffs diligence and professionalism in assessing the content of the
interview and the circumstances surrounding it, as well as the clarifications of law
that your team provided. As a result, I tasked the Executive Team with enhancing
training of the Act's requirements and adjusting how these types of journalistic
interviews are handled in the future.

Regards,

Julian Castro

UPDATE: In the offending video , Katie Couric asks Castro about his support of Clinton right at about minute 7:00. (I haven't yet found an embed code)

So, is this the end of that? Anybody see any reference to who reported him?

Oh, and, anyone know how many of the Veep contenders have been investigated recently?

A bit of history on The Hatch Act:

Under the leadership of Thomas Jefferson, the nation’s third president, heads of the executive departments issued an order which stated that while it is “the right of any officer (federal employee) to give his vote at elections as a qualified citizen... it is expected that he will not attempt to influence the votes of others nor take part in the business of electioneering, that being deemed Columbia and certain employees of state and local governments." (pdf)

In passing the Hatch Act, Congress affirmed that partisan activity government employees must be limited for public institutions to function fairly and effectively.

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Bollox Ref's picture

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Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

Bollox Ref's picture

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Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

gulfgal98's picture

This comment was worth a double post, or more! Wink

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Pricknick's picture

The democratic (criminal) party will welcome his discretions with open arms.
"Inadvertent" seems to be the go to excuse nowadays.

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

my excuse will be that I didn't intend to do it, so I shouldn't be held accountable for my actions. Very few people intend to violate traffic laws when they get a ticket. Why should the citizenry have to face any consequences when the wealthy and powerful don't?

Hillary and the Democrats have turned "intent" into another "It depends on what the meaning of word "is" is." It's disgraceful.

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Hey, if we were worth anything, we'd be worth real money.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

snoopydawg's picture

Of taking bribes by the Supreme Court even though he got lots of expensive items, his wife went on numerous paid shopping sprees and got a $20,000 leather coat, the kids got top of the line golf clubs and got to golf at exclusive courses just to name a few things that the whole family got from the person who was asking the governor and his wife to endorse his product.
But for some reason, the justices said that wasn't actual bribery. It only looked like it.
The rules for the rich are such different from what we lowly peons have to follow.
And then there's the affluenza kid who stole beer from a convenience store, got drunk and plowed into a group of people leaving 4 dead and one paralyzed.
He got to go to counseling instead of prison.
Now imagine a poor person of either color doing that.
So mom and dad were busy working 2-5 jobs and didn't have the time to teach him right from wrong. I bet that the judge would agree that the kid just needed counseling too, right?
Yasureyoubetcha.

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There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?

Mosquito Pilot's picture

...we prosecute our guy, the other guy will get in and he's worse.
When both parties think and act that way democracy breaks down. Oh, look where are!

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Dig within. There lies the wellspring of all good. Ever dig and it will ever flow
Marcus Aurelius

that the Supreme Court decision letting former VA governor Bob McDonnell off for bribery was unanimous. Clinton's two appointees and Obama's two appointees were right there with their Republican appointed colleagues.

While accepting $165,000 in gifts and loans for promoting a dietary supplement of dubious value may LOOK like bribery, setting up events for the guy, arranging meetings, and hosting a luncheon at the governor's mansion for a product launch are just "routine courtesies."

This ruling is perfect for the Clinton's and their family foundation. I think it's OK for Bill to post a price list for various services on the foundation website now.

The next time a Hillary supporter warns you about the supreme court, you might bring this decision to her or his attention.

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MsGrin's picture

What happend to the 'I know it when I see it' standard? The rest of us SEE IT!

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'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member

Oldest Son Of A Sailor's picture

With both the President & VP leaving office for their disregard of laws...

Hello President Paul Ryan!

Imagine that...
President without a single vote cast by the people...

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"Do you realize the responsibility I carry?
I'm the only person standing between Richard Nixon and the White House."

~John F. Kennedy~
Economic: -9.13, Social: -7.28,

Yup, the Clinton crowd doesn't hang together because they're criminals, just all thoroughly incompetent/incapable of thinking/reading/understanding anything beyond a pay or donor cheque..

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Castro's excuses line up pretty closely with Hillary's ex post facto excusifying after her earlier stonewalling on the emails and homebrew server questions fell apart. "Oh well, sorry, I didn't mean to. Must order more training."

Julian Castro doesn't have that kind of muscle yet, though. He's a thoroughly dispensible hood ornament for the Clintonmobile parading down Wall Street.

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Please help support caucus99percent!

I just do not know what else to say. I feel so helpless to stop it.
I am in the wrong class.
It is my fucking fault.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

MsGrin's picture

But I really do think that collectively we are figuring out how to object to it being this way. It may take us awhile, but I bet we get there. Bernie thinks we will. It takes longer than one election season.

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'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member

lunachickie's picture

Please be good to yourself right now, insofar as you don't beat yourself up, particularly when it's not necessary! Beware of repetitive posts that try to make you feel that way, and/or repetitive television or radio news that blames you for anything in your own politics.

(((hugs))) I know, I'm sick of it, too.

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10. Neither Julian nor Joaquin speak Spanish.

Julian took Latin in high school, Joaquin took German. Julian told Vogue in 2013, “I’ve resolved that before I die, I want to speak it fluently." At the time, Joaquin was listening to language tapes sent by fellow Texan Eva Longoria.

From May of 2014:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/05/23/the-10-things-...

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when this happened. "you're too young to remember" "tough times in the 90s" omg fts he forgot the Internet exists what a doof.
Potential Clinton VP Is Unable To Persuade A Sanders Supporter To Support Clinton

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MsGrin's picture

But to be fair, I only passably can read a menu in one language from whence my peeps came. Not sure I could even IDENTIFY the sound of some of the other languages my people have spoken just a generation or so back. In fact, it wasn't until mid-life that I became aware my father's birth certificate had the un-Anglicized version of our surname on it (I had thought the change happened before his birth).

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'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member

Got caught up in hatch act violations.

She had to resign.

Once again, the bush admin was more ethical than obama's. Remind me again why we think dems are better than republicans.

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Hillbilly Dem's picture

at least he didn't stand in the way of the DOJ when they investigated and prosecuted his personal friends, Jeff Skilling and Kenneth (Kenny Boy as Bush nicknamed him) Lay of Enron infamy. Reagan, and then Poppy Bush, prosecuted over 1,000 defendants and 100's of them went to jail in the Savings and Loan fraud mess of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The Dems are much more adept at protecting the well heeled.

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"Just call me Hillbilly Dem(exit)."
-H/T to Wavey Davey

WindDancer13's picture

pardon when he left office? (The word "friends" is used to encompass potential donors.)

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We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass

WaterLily's picture

No further comment.

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Alligator Ed's picture

"Ignorance of the Law is No Excuse"

Julio, for all your contriteness, you are bag of feces but without the body armor of Clinton to prevent it from leaking through.

Hence, I am pleased to announce the first 3 candidates for impeachment this year:
1. James "no Precedent" Comey
2. Laughing-out-loud Lynch
3. Julio "newly Hatched" Castro

Of course, lady-in-waiting, her royal Heinous, Hillary Goddam Clinton, will have her chance soon.

Note: other nominations from the floor will be accepted, as this is an open convention.

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MsGrin's picture

His brother the Congressman is Joaquin who hosted the Texas Dem Convention.

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'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member

Alligator Ed's picture

Now, please add candidates to the impeachment list, if any.

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WindDancer13's picture

"Ignoring the Law is an Excuse."

I would add Obama to that, but maybe we have to wait until we find out what (im)peachy little job he has lined up. Supreme Court justices can and have been impeached. It has been indicated that would be one direction for him, but I don't think it pays well enough. I am sure HRC has given him plenty of pointers on how to get rich while selling your country down the drain or will if he insures she is elected.

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We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass

Shahryar's picture

Put 'em all in jail. Bill first.

if it's not clear what I'm referring to I mean Bill Clinton campaigning at a $#^%$&*^ polling place with a bullhorn and suffering zero consequences.

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MsGrin's picture

Great essay - I'd missed it. Thanks for the link.

Under pressure from housing advocates last April, Secretary Castro’s Department of Housing and Urban Development promised to reform the program and help homeowners avoid foreclosure by selling more overdue mortgage loans to nonprofit community organizations rather than Wall Street banks.

Those were empty promises. The two most recent sales under Secretary Castro have sent 98% of the mortgages straight to Wall Street – and at rock-bottom prices (45% off!).

A measly 1% got sold to nonprofit community organizations, which can better work with homeowners to figure out a plan to keep them in their homes. Under pressure from housing advocates last April, Secretary Castro’s Department of Housing and Urban Development promised to reform the program and help homeowners avoid foreclosure by selling more overdue mortgage loans to nonprofit community organizations rather than Wall Street banks.

Those were empty promises. The two most recent sales under Secretary Castro have sent 98% of the mortgages straight to Wall Street – and at rock-bottom prices (45% off!).

A measly 1% got sold to nonprofit community organizations, which can better work with homeowners to figure out a plan to keep them in their homes.

I think he just got locked into my brain as Hooligan Castro.

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'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member

the error should be acknowledged. Although it was not my
intent, I made one here.

it worked for Clinton.

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Try being on the edge of rental homelessness in California, LOL the HUD page is supposed to be a resource for Section 8 subsidies, available housing, wait lists etc.. Except it returns Page Not Found drilling down to the information, it is a facade. Thanks Julian! Democrats in charge still technically deficient. Or is it on purpose? Of course not, no one intends anything anymore amiright?

Op-Ed L.A "has 46,874 people who are homeless. If we're not smart, we'll have 250,000 more"

We know from studies of New York City's homelessness prevention program that stepping in with help before people become homeless is more effective — and less costly — than waiting until they are without a place to live. For families on the edge of homelessness, we must provide a much more robust safety net. People need help not just paying rent, but also finding jobs, accessing healthcare, fighting illegal evictions, applying for public benefits and finding child care if they are to stay stably housed.

Homelessness is a problem that begins months or years before the symptoms become visible on our streets. Until we start strategically preventing homelessness before it happens, we’ll just be bailing out a sinking ship.

Veering off the topic, up north it is disgusting the wealth disparity, and now Ds are preparing to hand the Cannabis industry over to "investors", goodbye what is left of my beautiful state. Like wine-grapes they will plant every available inch and finish off the watershed and fisheries for good. The slow death of environment creates dysthymia, no progress no joy (profit for "healthcare" industry pols and lobbyists though, patented drugs baby!). Always one step forward two steps back, same as it ever was. Crony capitalists, meh.

Say goodbye to $15 an hour at the first whiff of recession, Killifornia Chamber of Commerce will not allow it. People love Jerry Brown I don't know why. He has pulled up the ladder behind him in so many ways it ain't funny. "That's the system."

Thanks a lot for the space to vent, what a relief to know resistance is alive and well here at C99. Solidarity.

Edit: subject spelling disappointment.

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on the DNC. It's not going to impede them one bit. I think Castro will be the VP pick.

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Beware the bullshit factories.

When you have snakes like Claire McCaskell and Barney Frank making statements on TV that 'Bernie is just in the way', also Barbara Boxes calling the shots in Nevada, the laws only apply to the little people.

Think the whole lot of them traitors were really scared of Bernie's truth--about them.

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TK