Pai CPAC Appearance Not Hatch Act Violation, OSC Finds
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's appearance and talk at the 2018 Conservative Political Action Conference (see 1802230037) didn't violate the Hatch Act, the Office of Special Counsel said in a letter Thursday. It said sponsor American Conservative Union, as a 501(c)(4),…
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isn't a partisan political group under the act and though parts of CPAC are political in nature, Pai's participation involved the FCC work and agenda and wasn't political. OSC previously said Commissioner Mike O'Rielly's comments at CPAC were a violation (see 1805010083) and House Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Mike Doyle, D-Pa., urged a further OSC investigation (see 1805070020). In a statement Thursday, Pai's office said it was "pleased [OSC] quickly rejected the baseless and politically motivated accusation" Pai's appearance was inconsistent with the act.