H/T to the daily blog gang at Four Freedoms Blog for bringing this up and inspiring this diary..
For a moment, let's set aside the campaign gabbing John McCain made during his recent visit to Canada at the invitation of Tory PM Stephen Harper. Let's set aside the false claims that he made about Obama wanting to abandon NAFTA and claiming the Democratic nominee advocates "...retreating behind protectionist walls..." Let's set aside the words of McCain's adviser, former Cheney spokesman and known energy industry lobbyist Steve Schmidt, who has criticized Obama's choice to use the thousands of individual donations amounting to millions in TRUE public financing, instead of using what I like to call McCain's campaign welfare (another word for the capped matching tax dollars a candidate may receive to fund their campaigns)..
Focus on this fact: McCain flew to Canada in his campaign jet, with reporters on board, and gave a campaign speech at the invitiation of a foreign head of state as an elected representative of the United States Government. Essentially, he went there in an ambassadorial role that was paid for with money from his campaign funds.
And his campaign even came right out and admitted it.
From The Washington Post:
A McCain spokesman said that while the campaign pays travel costs for the trip, the luncheon, held by the Economic Club of Canada, is not a fundraiser and not a campaign event. He said the $100-per-person ticket price for the event is to cover the cost of the lunch and will not benefit the campaign.
From the OSC Page on The Hatch Act:
Permitted/Prohibited Activities for Employees Who May Participate in Partisan Political Activity (Emphasis below added)
These federal and D.C. employees may:
- be candidates for public office in nonpartisan elections
- register and vote as they choose
- assist in voter registration drives
- express opinions about candidates and issues
- contribute money to political organizations
- attend political fundraising functions
- attend and be active at political rallies and meetings
- join and be an active member of a political party or club
- sign nominating petitions
- campaign for or against referendum questions, constitutional amendments, municipal ordinances
- campaign for or against candidates in partisan elections
- make campaign speeches for candidates in partisan elections
- distribute campaign literature in partisan elections
- hold office in political clubs or parties
These federal and D.C. employees may not:
- use official authority or influence to interfere with an election
- solicit or discourage political activity of anyone with business before their agency
- solicit or receive political contributions (may be done in certain limited situations by federal labor or other employee organizations)
- be candidates for public office in partisan elections
- engage in political activity while on duty, in a government office, wearing an official uniform, using a government vehicle, or wear partisan political buttons on duty
Considering the scope of this violation of the law, I believe it goes well beyond the exemptions mentioned in the Constitution (Article I Section 6).
It's also pretty damn hypocritical specifically because Sen. McCain is perceived as a champion of election and campaign law reform. The DNC thankfully appears to be on top of this, having filed a FOIA request and citing these same activities as "skirting the Hatch Act". Of course, getting an investigation started by this criminal administration against one of their own, no matter how "maverick" he pretends to be, will be a serious challenge if it even happens.
Update #1: As seen on the front page, this is just another in a string of campaign and election law violations made by the McCain Campaign which have caused the DNC to file suit in federal court today.
Update #2: Several commentors have pointed out that the Hatch Act applies specifically to career federal employees (civil servants) and not those in appointed positions (which would include ambassadors). In such a case, I can't help but feel that McCain is deliberately exploiting loopholes in the law. Of course, McCain claims to be above such actions, even when his past is tainted by flipping positions on Bush's tax cuts for billionaires, the Iraq War as well as the ghosts of the Keating Five.