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EST: After publication, a Department of Energy spokeswoman told the Free Beacon, "The Hatch Act places restrictions on certain partisan political activities of public employees. "Moreover, in this case the advocacy was done with official government resources and on an official government account that implies endorsement." "Executive agencies have included ballot initiatives when defining political activity allowed while not on duty," the watchdog's complaint reads. While the Hatch Act traditionally applies to executive branch appointees illegally campaigning for candidates, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust says it applies to ballot initiatives as well. "If I weren't subject to the Hatch Act, I'm sure you know I would be, but I am so I can't do that." "I'm subject to something called the Hatch Act, which means I can't advocate for people to call their members of Congress," Granholm said.
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In the last two weeks, watchdogs have cited Granholm's campaign speech on behalf of Democratic Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe and an interview in which she acknowledged she is subject to the Hatch Act, then proceeded to violate it anyway by calling on viewers to support progressive candidates. The complaint is the latest against the energy secretary, who has used interviews in her official capacity to urge voters to elect Democrats. "Secretary Granholm has apparently violated the Hatch Act again." "By using an official government channel of communication, Secretary Granholm both indicated the federal government endorsed and encouraged citizens to vote a certain way on a ballot question, and used a taxpayer-funded resource to do so," the complaint states. Granholm last week used her official Twitter account to urge voters to vote against the initiative, promising the costly green energy project would save the state money, protect jobs, and create "cleaner, cheaper energy" for the state. The Maine ballot initiative in question, which would prohibit construction of a proposed power line project in the state, is the most expensive ballot initiative fight in Maine’s history groups have raised over $98 million in support and opposition to it. Office of Special Counsel, says Granholm illegally campaigned against a ballot initiative in Maine by using her official, taxpayer-funded Twitter account. The complaint, sent Tuesday by the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust to the U.S. In fact, some reforms were championed by then Council members Michael Nutter and Jim Kenney, who went on to be the next mayors.A watchdog group hit Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm with a Hatch Act complaint over her overt political activism on her official social media account in the leadup to Tuesday's elections in Maine. "And this was a question after the (former Mayor John) Street administration's scandal back in 2003. "We have this reputation for being corrupt and contented," Seventy policy director Pat Christmas said earlier this month. The Committee of Seventy has previously offered up reforms that could help keep Philadelphia government officials from being overly or improperly influenced by outside agents. "We need to abandon the Philly shrug notion that this is just how it is, it’s always been that way, and it’s always going to be that way," Wright said. Michelle Wright of the League of Women Voters said she hopes there is enough momentum for the reforms. Mayor Jim Kenney, a former City Councilman himself who held a second job, told NBC10 later Monday that he could support reforms like those put forward at the rally, but would have to see exactly how the legislation is written.
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Public financing of local elections would be a harder sell in Philadelphia, which for years has been the poorest big city in America by median household income. "You want to define this in a way that’s it’s transparent. So you have people who run for office who come from the business community (and) they have their business," she said. "I think, in fairness, we want to have a diversity of thought coming in. Quinones Sanchez, who has served on City Council since 20XX and is considered a possible mayoral candidate in 2023, said she is working on a proposal to ban some, but not all, outside work for Council members. Convicted Union Boss Resigns from Politically Powerful Electrical Union