The Navy Secretary criticized former President Donald Trump during his speech in London in January of this year.
Washington:
U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro violated a law restricting political activity by federal employees when he publicly advocated for President Joe Biden and criticized former President Donald Trump, the Office of Special Counsel said Thursday.
U.S. federal employees are subject to the Hatch Act, a law that limits certain political activities to protect the government from partisan influence. It prohibits the use of official authority to influence the outcome of an election.
In a speech in London in January 2024 during an official trip, Del Toro said he was “confident that the American people will mobilize in November and support President Biden for a second term as commander in chief.”
The Special Counsel’s Office, an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency, said that at the event and in an interview with the BBC later that day, Del Toro also “expressed his electoral opposition to President Trump as a candidate.”
“While speaking in an official capacity on a taxpayer-funded trip, Secretary Del Toro encouraged electoral support for one candidate over another in the upcoming presidential election,” said Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger.
“In doing so, he crossed a legal line and violated the Hatch Act. This is particularly troubling because Secretary Del Toro himself has acknowledged that military work and partisan politics should not be mixed,” Dellinger added.
Del Toro himself reported his comments to the watchdog, saying his intention was to discuss the importance of strong international alliances.
“In retrospect, I think my response should have been delivered more generally, without reference to specific candidates,” he told the office.
The US military is supposed to be apolitical, loyal to the US Constitution and independent of any political party or movement. Del Toro was nominated by Biden to be Secretary of the Navy, a position held by a civilian.
Possible penalties include a fine or dismissal.
The Pentagon said Thursday it was studying the report, but that it was generally important for the military to avoid any action that could imply support for a political party or campaign.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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