Scoop: White House elbows back on “MAGA” Hatch Act violation
- June 14, 2023
The White House will continue to use the term “MAGA” a week after the independent Office of Special Counsel (OSC) declared that doing so is a violation of the Hatch Act, according to a new memo obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: Since last year, White House officials have repeatedly labeled GOP members in Congress as “MAGA Republicans” as part of a larger strategy to cast them as out of touch and extreme.
State of play: On June 7, in response to a watchdog complaint about press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s use of “MAGA Republicans,” the OSC ruled that she violated the Hatch Act, which governs how federal employees can weigh in on political activities.