White House Official Neera Tanden Accused of Repeatedly Violating the Hatch Act

A government ethics watchdog agency has formally accused Neera Tanden, the White House domestic policy chief, of repeatedly violating the Hatch Act by soliciting donations for political candidates. The complaint, submitted to the Merit Systems Protection Board, alleges that Tanden violated the act by reposting several posts on the social media platform X that asked people to donate to various political campaigns, including Vice President Kamala Harris‘ presidential campaign and Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey‘s reelection campaign.

The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from engaging in political fundraising activities. Despite being notified by the agency in late August, Tanden deleted only one of the offending posts and continued to repost similar solicitations in September. The special counsel criticized Tanden’s actions, stating that the Hatch Act contains no exceptions for White House officials.

Penalties for violating the Hatch Act can be severe, including suspension, reprimand, or a civil penalty of up to $1,000. In more serious cases, federal employees can be demoted, fired, or barred from federal employment for up to five years. Tanden’s lawyer, Michael Bromwich, criticized the special counsel for issuing the complaint without first interviewing Tanden, calling the decision ‘extremely unusual’.

This incident highlights ongoing concerns about the adherence to the Hatch Act within the federal workforce. Recently, a VA employee agreed to a 70-day unpaid suspension for similar violations, and new legislation has been introduced to extend Hatch Act restrictions to certain federal employees not currently covered, such as those in Offices of Inspectors General).