White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has faced criticism for evading questions by citing the Hatch Act, which prohibits civil servants from engaging in political activities while on the job. Jean-Pierre has used this to deflect inquiries regarding campaigns, according to PBS.

However, she inadvertently violated the law. The Office of Special Counsel, responsible for enforcing the Hatch Act, recently sent a letter stating that Jean-Pierre had breached the law before last year's midterm elections.

Jean-Pierre's violation involved frequently referencing "MAGA Republicans" during White House briefings. The Office of Special Counsel concluded that these references were made to generate opposition to Republican candidates, thus constituting political activity.

Although penalties for Hatch Act violations are rare, the Office of Special Counsel did not recommend any fines or other punishments for Jean-Pierre in this instance. It remains to be seen how this incident will impact her approach to addressing political matters during press briefings in the future.

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White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Receives Warning Instead of Disciplinary Action

Although the Office of Special Counsel found Karine Jean-Pierre violating the Hatch Act, they have decided not to pursue disciplinary action against her.

In a letter to Protect the Public's Trust, the office stated they would close the matter without further action and issued a warning letter to Jean-Pierre.

The decision not to pursue penalties was based on the belief of the White House counsel's office that Jean-Pierre's remarks were not prohibited at the time, per Yahoo! News.

However, the Office of Special Counsel acknowledged that it is unclear whether their analysis regarding using "MAGA Republicans" was effectively communicated to Jean-Pierre. The situation raises questions about the internal communication within the White House regarding the Hatch Act.

In response, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates stated that the administration takes the law seriously and upholds the Hatch Act. They are currently reviewing the opinion from the Office of Special Counsel.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Defends Her Self From Reporters

During a press briefing Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended herself in response to the violation of the Hatch Act, CNN reports.

She stated that she had received approval to use the terminology in question. She emphasized that the Office of Special Counsel letter was retroactive, addressing something she had said months ago.

In support of Jean-Pierre, a Biden administration official pointed out the Trump White House's extensive use of the term "Make America Great Again" for official purposes, with nearly 2,000 references on the official Trump White House website.

The Office of Special Counsel's report from November 2021 also revealed that 13 senior Trump administration officials had violated the Hatch Act.

The use of terms like "Mega-MAGA" from the White House briefing room podium before the 2022 midterm elections were aimed at highlighting contrasts with Trump-aligned factions of the GOP.

Biden's senior adviser Anita Dunn discussed the decision to use such terminology, noting that she was involved in a project outside the government examining Republican elected officials and their agenda.

The term "MAGA" emerged organically from research and conversations around the problems associated with certain Republican elected officials. When asked about using modifiers like "mega" and "ultra" for MAGA, Dunn mentioned that it was an attempt to improve the existing term.

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Written by: Bert Hoover

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