Two top White House officials willfully violated a longstanding federal ethics law on Wednesday, setting up a legal showdown between the Biden administration and the Office of Special Counsel.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and her deputy, Andrew Bates, issued statements Wednesday containing several references to "MAGA," just one week after authorities at the Office of Special Counsel said it was illegal for federal employees to use the slogan in their official capacity. The prosecutorial agency said the use of former President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan constitutes partisan political activity and is a violation of the Hatch Act, a 1939 law that prohibits federal officials from using taxpayer funds to influence elections.