Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.) on Wednesday raised possible legal concerns when asked about President Trump potentially accepting the Republican presidential nomination on the South Lawn of the White House.
“Is that even legal?” Thune asked when reporters queried him about Republican National Convention planners thinking about having Trump accept his party’s nomination for a second term on White House grounds.
“I assume that’s not something that you could do. I assume there’s some Hatch Act issues or something,” he said. “I don’t know the answer to that and I haven’t heard him say that, but I think anything to do with federal property would seem to me to be problematic.”
The Hatch Act prohibits partisan political activity by a federal employee in a government room or building or any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties, according to a memo posted by the Department of the Interior’s ethics office.
Trump said Wednesday that accepting the nomination at the White House would “be the easiest from the standpoint of security.”
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GOP senator on Trump accepting nomination at White House: "Is that even legal?" https://t.co/HBFlrBejMb pic.twitter.com/wsxydUjgHV
— The Hill (@thehill) August 5, 2020
President Trump on holding acceptance speech at White House: "There is no Hatch Act because it doesn't pertain to the President." pic.twitter.com/2uGy3YktFd
— The Hill (@thehill) August 5, 2020
For once, Trump is right: the Hatch act does not pertain to the president
When told John Thune objected, Trump had to reaffirm that tune was a Republican before answering. “The Republican John Thune?,” he asked
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 5, 2020
Folks, Trump is right: the Hatch Act very specifically does not apply to the president and the vice president. Believe me, I have learned more about the Hatch act in the past 3 1/2 years than I have ever wanted to know, but on this one point, he is right.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 5, 2020
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