On December, Congress passed S2170, which eases some of the Hatch Act restrictions on who can run for partisan office. Under the terms of the bill, state and local government employees whose salaries are paid for partly (but not entirely) by federal funds will now be able to run for partisan office.
There will be no change in the existing rules that make it illegal for federal employees, as well as state/local government employees who are paid entirely with federal tax dollars, to run for partisan office.
S2170 also eases the punishment for employees who do file to run for partisan office.
I was always taught that in America everyone could grow up and run for office. Guess I was taught wrong!
Richard:
Does the Hatch Act also prohibit employees of Federal or other Government contractors, funded partially or wholly from Federal sources from running for partisan office? If so, will this bill provide any of them relief from accidentally breaking Federal law?
#2, that’s a good question. I don’t know.
Do any states have their own laws that would still prohibit state employees from running for partisan office?
How *partly* — 1/3, 1/2, 99.99 percent ???
ALL of the Hatch Act stuff is blatantly UN-constitutional by adding to the qualifications of Fed. officers.
Akin to having NO speech or press rights if one is a Fed regime officer or employee.
Too many brain dead courts to count – esp. since 1929 and the major rise in statism in the U.S.A.
@4 I think so, but don’t know off hand which ones.