STF Report Final

8/7/2019 STF Report Final

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Table of Contents

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INDEX OF CHARTS


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INTRODUCTION

I. Overview

II. Background

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III. Methodology

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IV. Organization of the Report


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CHAPTER ONE: APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE HATCH ACT

I. Overview

II. Historical Background

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III. Current Law

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CHAPTER TWO: THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

I. Overview

II. Establishment of OPA

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III. OPAs Organizational Structure and Functions During the Bush IIAdministration

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A. OPA Director and Deputy Director

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B. OPA Associate Directors

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C. OPAs Relationship With the White House Office of Scheduling and

Appointments

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CHAPTER THREE: POLITICAL BRIEFINGS

I. Overview

II. Factual Findings

A. Purpose of Political Briefings


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B. Location and Scheduling of Political Briefings

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C. Political Appointees Were Expected to Attend Political Briefings


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mandatoryTomorrow, July 26, in the Department Conference Room at 5pm.


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D. PowerPoint Presentations Used During Political Briefings

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E. Political Appointees Impressions of Political Briefings

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III. Legal AnalysisA. 5 U.S.C. 7324(a)(b) Prohibitions on Political Activity and Exemptions

Thereto

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1. OPAs Political Briefings

a. OPA Employees Engaged in Political Activity When They Gave

Political Briefings

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b. Political Briefings Occurred in a Federal Workplace or While

Employees Were on Duty


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2. Some OPA Staff Were Exempt From the 7324(a) Political Activity

Restrictions When They Gave Political Briefings

a. Only Certain EOP Employees Are Exempt From the 7324(a)

Political Activity Restrictions

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et seq


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i. OPA Director

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ii. OPA Deputy Director

iii. OPA Associate Directors and the Surrogate Scheduler

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b. OPA Director and Deputy Director Were Exempt From 7324(a)When They Gave Political Briefings

c. Other OPA Staff May Have Violated 7324(a) by Giving Political

Briefings

3. Agency Political Appointees May Have Violated 7324(a) When They

Attended Political Briefings Presented by OPA Employees


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B. 5 U.S.C. 7323(a)(1) Prohibition Against the Use of Official Authority or

Influence for the Purpose of Interfering With or Affecting the Result of anElection

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1. OPA Employees Violated 7323(a)(1) by Giving Briefings ThatConstituted Political Activity

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2. Some White House Liaisons at Federal Agencies Violated 7323(a)(1)

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IV. Recommendations

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CHAPTER FOUR: AS THE 2006 ELECTIONS DREW NEARER, OPA BECAME A

PARTISAN POLITICAL ORGANIZATION

I. Overview

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II. Factual Findings

A. OPA and the RNC Worked Together on a Routine Basis


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1. OPA Served as a Link Between the RNC and Agency Political Appointees

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2. OPA Tracked the Success of Republican Fundraising Efforts


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1. During the Bush II Administration, OPA Arranged for High-Level

Agency Political Appointees to Speak Before National, State, and Local

Republican Groups and at Republican Campaign Events

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2. OPA and Republican Groups Created the Target List to Prioritize the

Travel of High-Level Agency Political Appointees


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3. Earning Media for Targeted Candidates

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4. OPA Tracked the Travel of High-Level Agency Political Appointees to

Events with Targeted Republicans

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5. Travel of High-Level Agency Political Appointees Tracked by OPA

Dramatically Increased in 2006

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Chart 1: Events Tracked by OPA and Completed by High-Level Agency Political Appointees Comparison of

Non-Election (2005) to Election (2006) Years, January 1 Through November 6.107

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Chart 2: Events Completed by High-Level Agency Political Appointees With Republican Candidates

Comparison of Non-Election (2005) to Election (2006) Years, January 1 Through November 6.108

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a. In the Months Before the 2006 Midterm Elections, OPA Engaged in

Final Push Efforts to Assist Republican Candidates


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Chart 3: Events Suggested by OPA and Completed by High-Level Agency Political Appointees in the Three

Months Immediately Prior to 2006 Midterm Elections.109

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b. OPAs Partisan Political Activity Related to the 2006 Midterm

Elections Declined After November 7, 2006


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III. Legal Analysis

A. OPA Staff and the Surrogate Scheduler Engaged in Political Activity for

Purposes of the Hatch Act

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a. The Costs Associated With Political Activity May Not Be Paid forWith Money Derived From the U.S. Treasury

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b. The Political Activity of OPA Staff and the Surrogate Scheduler

Was More Than Incidental

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IV. OPA During Prior Administrations

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V. Recommendations

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CHAPTER FIVE: POLITICAL TRAVEL OF HIGH-LEVEL AGENCY POLITICAL

APPOINTEES

I. Overview

II. Factual Findings and AnalysisA. OPA Staff Regularly Recommended That High-Level Agency Political

Appointees Attend Events With Targeted Republican Candidates


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Chart 4: Events Tracked by OPA and Completed by High-Level Agency Political Appointees Comparison of

Non-Election (2005) to Election (2006) Years, August 1 Through November 6.145

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Chart 5: Events Tracked by OPA and Completed by High-Level Agency Political Appointees in 2006

Comparison of August 1 Through November 6, 2006, to May 1 Through July 31, 2006.146

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B. U.S. Treasury funds Were Used to Pay for High-Level Agency Political

Appointees to Travel to Events Aimed at the Success of Republican Candidates

in 2006

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1. Department of Veterans Affairs

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2. Department of Transportation

3. Department of the Interior

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4. Office of National Drug Control Policy


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5. Department of Housing and Urban Development

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6. Department of Education


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7. Department of Agriculture

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8. Department of Health and Human Services

9. Small Business Administration


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10. Department of Energy

III. Discussion and Recommendations

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A. Non-Hatch Act Standards Are Inapplicable

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B. Correctly Classifying Events as Official or Political for Hatch Act Purposes

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APPENDIX

Memorandum: Political Activity Guidance: Procedures For Vetting Invitations To Political

Events And Allocating Travel Expenses Of Mixed Official/Political Travel

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I. Political Event Review Procedures

Only after the ChiefofStaff and OGC have reviewed and signed the "Political Activity

Review" form may the PAS accept the invitation to attend and/or participate in the political

event.


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The PAS will not

use his/her, the agencys or other agency official's Government credit card in

making these arrangements.

require that(1)payment be made

to the agency in advance ofthe travel, or(2) the outside organization provide

payment in-kind.


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II. After the Political Event/Trip

When the outside entity does not

immediately reimburse the agency, the PAS will do so.


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When agreeing to travel to attend a political event, the PAS should remember that he or

she is engaging in such activities in his or her personal capacity. Consequently, if any costs

associated with the PAS engaging in the political activity are not paid by an outside entity,

the PAS will be personally liable for such costs and will reimburse the agency for any that

it has borne.


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V. Chief of Staff Review

REVIEW FINDINGS:

Signature Date Signed

VI. Office of General Counsel Review

REVIEW FINDINGS:

$ ______________.


ESTIMATE OF POLITICAL COSTS:

_____ Total Political Minutes PLUS _____ Total Official Minutes = _________ Total Activity Time

_____ Total Political Minutes DIVIDED BY ______ Total Activity Time = ______% for Political Reimbursement

_____ Total Estimate of Trip Costs MULTIPLIED BY _____ % for Political Reimbursement = $___________ Total Estimate ofPolitical Costs

OGC reviewed and approved the draft invitation to the political event on __________. _________(date) (initial)

VII. PAS Re-Certification

CERTIFICATION:



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APPENDIX B

WORKSHEET FOR DETERMINING ACTUAL AMOUNT OF POLITICAL COSTS

Name of PAS: _________ _____________________

I. Payment of Estimated Political Travel Costs

I hereby certify that on _______ the Agency received $_______(date)

via -kind contribution(s)

from _________________________ to pay for the estimated political travel expenses(name of outside entity or PAS)

associated with the above trip, and I have attached documentation evidencing such payment.

_____________________________________ _______(signature of PAS) (Date)

II. Travel DetailsDate(s) of Travel Location(s) of Travel

Date and Name of Political Event(s) the agency official attended

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2.

3.

4.

Total Duration in Minutes

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4.

Total Minutes for Political Events =

Date and Name of Official Event(s) the agency official attended

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3.

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Total Duration in Minutes

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2.

3.

4.

Total Minutes for Official Events =Attach a copy of PASs final travel itinerary

III. Actual Trip Expenses

Travel Fares $_____________ Hotel/Lodging $_____________(airfare, train fare)

Per diem $_____________ Other Expenses $_____________

Total Trip Costs $___________


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Attach a copy of the PASs travel expense report and receipts for air and/or train fare.

IV. Office of General Counsel ReviewREVIEW FINDINGS:

$ _____________. Therefore, the agency

$__________________ from/to the outside entity.


ACTUAL POLITICAL COSTS:

_____ Total Political Minutes PLUS ______ Total Official Minutes = __________ Total Activity Time

_____ Total Political Minutes DIVIDED BY ______ Total Activity Time = ______% for PoliticalReimbursement

_____ Total Actual Trip Costs MULTIPLIED BY _____ % for Political Reimbursement = $___________Total Actual

Political Costs

Reconciling Estimate and Actual Costs:

$________ Total of Estimated Political Costs Paid in Advance or Provide In-Kind MINUS$________ Total Actual Political Costs = $____________. (if negative, outside entity owes the agencythe amount; if positive, the agency owes outside entity the amount)

Agency owes the outside entity $____________

The outside entity owes agency $ ___________

V. FINAL RECONCILIATION

Certification:


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STF Report Final