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Republican FCC commissioner Michael O'Rielly broke a federal law preventing officials from advocating for political candidates when he told a crowd that one way to avoid policy changes was to "make sure that President Trump gets reelected," according to a newly released letter from government officials. O'Rielly was warned by the officials about making similar comments in the future.
The Hatch Act bars many federal employees from using their offices to influence an election. During the conservative CPAC conference in February, which was also attended by FCC chairman Ajit Pai, O'Rielly was asked about how to avoid rapid swings in policy ushered in by a new administration. "I think what we can do is make sure as conservatives that we elect good people to both the House, the Senate, and make sure that President Trump gets reelected," he responded, adding that there would also be a fight in the US Senate over net neutrality rules.
[...] The office said it has sent a warning letter to O'Rielly this time, but will consider other infractions "a willful and knowing violation of the law" that could lead to legal action.
O'Rielly's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the letter.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/1/17308418/fcc-commissioner-orielly-trump-law
(Score: 3, Insightful) by The Mighty Buzzard on Sunday May 06 2018, @10:47AM (9 children)
I wouldn't call that advocacy, I'd call that a simple, factual statement. If Trump gets reelected, his policies will be very likely to continue; if he doesn't, they may or may not. Telling the truth is nod advocacy. Advocacy requires putting forth an opinion. The opinion that Trump should be reelected is what is necessary to call anything advocacy in favor of him.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by HiThere on Sunday May 06 2018, @05:06PM (2 children)
And this is why I think it should be possible to up-mod an unmoderated comment. I feel the parent should be upmodded, but I don't consider it either interesting or insightful. More "well, of course". It probably should have a score of two or three. Not more, because telling the truth *can* be advocacy. And putting forth an opinion isn't necessarily advocacy. Both, however, are usually true.
Javascript is what you use to allow unknown third parties to run software you have no idea about on your computer.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 06 2018, @08:33PM (1 child)
> And this is why I think it should be possible to up-mod an unmoderated comment. I feel the parent should be upmodded, but I don't consider it either interesting or insightful. More "well, of course". It probably should have a score of two or three.
Isn't that what the "underrated" mod does?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 06 2018, @11:57PM
It's not possible to mod a comment underrated (or overrated) if it hasn't already been modded at least once.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 06 2018, @05:06PM (1 child)
And this is why I didn't vote for you.
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Monday May 07 2018, @08:50AM
That wasn't me tweeting. It was The Mighty Buzzard. But I'm sure I'll have your support in 2020!!
(Score: 4, Funny) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Monday May 07 2018, @02:09AM (2 children)
From Mr. "I can't tell you if I'm pulling out of or bombing Syria this week, am I taking away guns without due process or cozying up to the NRA, am I kiling TPP or getting into it, Kim Jong Un is an evil person but let's support reunification, and 'I'm not going to have time to play golf'" Trump?
Even if you could generally call that statement true, or say there was no possible way a political appointee could have answered that question without making a campaigning statement, Donald Trump would be the last person you should expect that continued tenure in office would avoid policy changes from.
This sig for rent.
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Monday May 07 2018, @08:52AM (1 child)
I've evolved on a lot of different things. But I always, always put America First!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 07 2018, @01:26PM
Sort of makes me wonder how the CIA twisted your arm. I know you're lover and not a fighter (*snicker*), ah, but I shouldn't snicker. Nobody wants World War 3, excepting, of course, the capitalist elites working through the CIA.
Only Trump could go to North Korea. I'm certain there's some profound truth about masculinity and sexuality here, as much as it may make certain people uncomfortable.
(Score: 2) by urza9814 on Monday May 07 2018, @07:06PM
The truth is that the Trump administration is the least stable executive branch in at least recent history. How is maintaining a record-breaking level of instability supposed to bring about greater stability?
http://fortune.com/2017/12/28/trump-white-house-record-first-year-turnover-rate/ [fortune.com]
The other truth is that Trump doesn't really set policy, Congress does.
If he had told them to keep the incumbent congress -- Democrats included -- then yes, it would be a factually correct statement. But saying that the least stable person around who has no Constitutional right to set policy is going to be the one person who can keep that policy stable is not a factually correct statement, it's a joke.