Thread by @NoahBookbinder

Some have questioned why Trump HUD appointee Lynne Patton faced real disciplinary consequences for her repeated Hatch Act violations when others like Kellyanne Conway, also found after repeated @CREWcrew complaints to have multiple violations, did not. 1/
newsweek.com/lynne-patton-p…

Here's the deal: the Office of Special Counsel, which administers the Hatch Act clearly has legal authority to refer agency employees like Patton for discipline. OSC believes though that the law does not allow them to refer White House appointees like Conway for discipline. 2/

OSC believes the law only allows them to recommend to the president that White House officials like Conway and Peter Navarro be disciplined for repeated violations. They did this, recommending that Conway be fired. Then-president Donald Trump ignored their recommendation. 3/

OSC should be praised, not criticized, for seeking discipline in the case of a serial violator like Patton when they could do so. There was finally accountability. But it is not fair that other serial violators like Conway and Navarro got off scot-free despite OSC's findings. 4/

The law needs to be changed to make clear that OSC can take disciplinary action against White House appointees. A bill called the Protecting Our Democracy Act would do that, along with other key reforms to stop abuses of power. Congress must pass it. 5/
thefulcrum.us/government-eth…