Former ethics chief for President George W. Bush and one-time Democratic Senate candidate Richard Painter has urged the White House to stop using the populist slogan ‘MAGA’ and called for officials who continue to use it to be fired.
He criticized the White House’s use of ‘MAGA’ after the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) determined that it violates the Hatch Act – legislation that prohibits officials and their staff from using government resources for campaign activities.
Painter said that it is a ‘terrible, terrible idea’ for the White House to continue using ‘MAGA’ after press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was previously warned about its illegal use. Officials should stop using ‘MAGA’ immediately according to Painter.
The OSC concluded earlier this week that Jean-Pierre violated the Hatch Act by using the term ‘Mega MAGA’ to attack Republican policies. However, White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates sent a memo on Wednesday stating that the term will still be used despite the OSC’s ruling.
Bates claimed that using the slogan under the context of ‘main economic agenda item’ refers to Republican policies. Bates accused the Republicans of promoting ‘MAGA tax welfare for the richest Americans and giant corporations, at the expense of continuing to grow our economy by investing in America.’
Painter explained that individuals who violate the Hatch Act in a serious or repeated manner could be swiftly dismissed. If someone continues to use the slogan after they were warned to stop, they should be fired.
Alternatively, those who commit serious violations or repeat offenses should also be fired. This would be the presumptive penalty for anybody who persists in using the slogan illegally.
The Biden administration continues to use the term ‘MAGA Republicans’ as a way of unifying supporters of the Trump administration—an understanding linked to the ‘polarizing divisions’ that surfaced during Trump’s term.
Although ‘build the wall’ was the Trump campaign’s policy initiative and had a clear policy goal, unlike ‘MAGA,’ which was only a campaign slogan.
In an official capacity, it is wrong for either the Trump or Biden administration to use the campaign slogan ‘MAGA,’ and it should be avoided. Painter believes that phrases like ‘build the wall’ have an actual policy initiative behind them and are different from ‘MAGA’ with respect to the Hatch Act.
In an official memo by the OSC, ‘MAGA’ and ‘Make America Great Again’ are highly associated with partisan politics, and therefore employees cannot use such phrases while on duty or while acting as representatives of the federal government.
In particular, they are prohibited from using ‘MAGA’ in social media, email, and official government websites while on duty.
Bates explained in his statement that while they abide by the Hatch Act, Republicans have frequently referred to official policy proposals, agendas, and related values as ‘MAGA’ numerous times on their official accounts.
Bates reasons that using ‘MAGA’ in this manner is lawful since it is the way Republicans have been using ‘MAGA’ on social media platforms. He stated that the OSC approved the term ‘MAGAnomics’ during the previous administration.
Previously, Bates made a comment regarding Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ pronunciation of his name while paying lip service to the law. Bates tweeted, ‘We follow the Hatch Act. So we don’t comment directly on presidential elections.’
Late Thursday, Bates again used the term ‘MAGA’ and this time attacked Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the Republican Study Committee, who he claimed was trying to ‘defund Medicare benefits while pushing giant tax cuts for the rich.’
During a recent press conference, Jean-Pierre stated that they ‘didn’t know’ the term ‘MAGA’ was unsuitable for official events.
Painter firmly believes that officials must comply with the OSC’s interpretation of the Hatch Act. The White House should take responsibility and cease using the campaign slogan immediately. Doing otherwise would be unacceptable.
We cannot have officials disregarding the law and being above the law. The OSC’s stance on ‘MAGA’ use must be taken seriously, and Trump and Biden should avoid using the term in an official capacity. Phrases like ‘build the wall’ have a clear policy objective, whereas ‘MAGA’ is nothing more than a campaign slogan.
The continued use of ‘MAGA’ in this context is harmful and should stop immediately. Individuals who persist in using the slogan must be held accountable, irrespective of whether they are part of the Republican or Democratic Party.
If officials flout the law with reckless abandon, they should be fired immediately. Taking action against violators would also restore faith in the system and demonstrate the importance of upholding the law under all circumstances.
The Biden administration must address this ruling sooner rather than later and ensure that the White House adheres to the OSC’s interpretation of the Hatch Act. If officials repeatedly violate the law, there must be clear consequences for their actions.
It is time for lawmakers to put country over partisan interests. If the White House continues to use ‘MAGA’ in defiance of the OSC’s interpretation of the Hatch Act, it would further deepen the divisions that hurt the country, making it worse than it already is.