Union praises Hatch Act dismissal

The Washington Times ^ | 4-26-05 | UPI

[JZelle]

Washington, DC, Apr. 26 (UPI) -- The National Treasury Employees Union Tuesday said it applauded the dismissal of complaints against two federal workers for sending political e-mails. The dismissal came from an administrative law judge of the Merit Systems Protection Board in the case of two federal employees charged with violations of the Hatch Act, which governs political activity by federal workers. The judge ruled that U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch had overreached in seeking the removal of the two federal workers because they each allegedly sent one electronic mail message from their office computers expressing personal views about candidates, the union said. One employee's e-mail supported the Democratic presidential candidate, the other the Republican candidate in October. Bloch heads the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. The union said the administrative judge ruled that while the Hatch Act prohibits on-duty "political activity," it expressly protects the rights of federal employees to express their personal opinions on political subjects at any time -- whether on-duty or off.

[JZelle]

I bet he was pro-Kerry.

[2banana]

Didn't stuff like this happen under the Clintons...

[urtax$@work]

I think it happend at the Fed. Office Bldg. in Kansas City, Mo.
Saw something in the KCSTAR newspaper about 2 mos. ago.
They were SSA employees. If anything appears in the local newspaper here, i will post it, before i line my birdcage.

[aimhigh]

If they were just two employees, debating politics, I don't see a problem. If they had been on the phone doing it, it wouldn't be an issue.

[em2vn]

"U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch had overreached...." That's pretty obvious isn't it. Is that all a U.S. attorney can find to do with his time. He needs to be shown the door not two guys sending one e-mail each about politics.