The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) announced Thursday that Navy Secretary Carlos del Toro violated federal law by supporting President Joe Biden's reelection campaign and criticizing former President Donald Trump while overseas.
OSC Report Del Toro argued that his comments at the Jan. 25 event, in which he said the country needed a “mature” leader like Biden and could not tolerate a president who aligned himself with “autocratic dictators,” violated the Hatch Act, which bans U.S. government employees from engaging in political activity while on the job.
“While speaking in his official capacity on a taxpayer-funded trip, Secretary del Toro encouraged support for one candidate over another in the upcoming presidential election,” Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger said in a statement. said“This is especially disturbing because Secretary Del Toro himself has acknowledged that military service and partisan politics should not mix.”
Navy chief breaks laws with political comments about presidential election, watchdog says https://t.co/PE0VbKYFyP
— Military.com (@Militarydotcom) September 5, 2024
On the same day as the January event, del Toro also gave an interview to BBC News Sunday, in which he is believed to have made remarks critical of Trump.
“My concern is, you know, we as Americans have known for as long as I can remember, certainly since I served in the military, that presidents, both Republican and Democratic, have always followed the core values ​​of our country, protected the freedoms of Americans and people around the world, and protected our democracy itself,” he said in the OSC report. “And when you have someone who doesn't align with those core principles, it makes you question whether you should support that person.”
Del Toro reportedly reported his comments to the special counsel during a February 1 appearance on BBC News, in which he said he “intended to focus my response on national security and the importance of strong international alliances,” but argued that he “should have responded more broadly without mentioning any specific candidates.”
The OSC said del Toro's self-reporting does not absolve him of any wrongdoing.
According to the OSC report, del Toro's lawyer, Michael Bromwich, argued that the comments were incidental and did not directly violate the Hatch Act. Del Toro also said the interview was not broadcast in the United States and denied making any of the specific comments attributed to Trump. (RELATED: 'Partisan voter mobilization': Legal experts say Biden's voter registration drive may violate federal law)
Penalties for violating the Hatch Act can include dismissal, demotion, reprimand, or a civil penalty of up to $1,000. According to To Navy Times.
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh confirmed the OSC report and said Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks had earlier approved a memorandum outlining political engagement guidelines for military and civilian employees within the Pentagon, Navy Times reported.
The U.S. Navy did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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