The Department of Education: Where Hatch Act Violations Are A Way of Life

Flashback. The Federal Times reports on federal government workers violating the Hatch Act:

During the fall 2008 presidential campaigns by then-Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain, an Education Department civil rights attorney zipped off an email: “Let’s face it, even though WE KNOW many Republicans are inherently racist anyway ... most of them are not solely voting against Obama because he’s Black,” the lawyer wrote in message sent from an official departmental email account.

The lawyer went on to favorably compare Obama’s education credentials against those of McCain, adding “Please send this to your friends and colleagues who vote.” That was only one of 204 emails by the attorney that investigators thought potentially unlawful under the Hatch Act, which bars political activity by civil servants in the workplace.

In a separate exchange, a former Education Department executive sent an email on her work account about an upcoming sportsman-themed fundraiser for the McCain campaign. “Feel free to forward this to anyone who you think might be interested in attending,” the message read.

In all, 870 Education Department employees — roughly one out of five at the agency — were found by investigators to have sent at least one email containing the name of a 2008 political candidate.

Just another reason why government workers shouldn't be allowed to vote. It's hard to argue with the evidence, of overpaid government workers "kicking back" money to politicians. No word on this story from former Attorney General Eric Holder.