Failed Politician John James Promoted by Taxpayer-Funded White House Event That Potentially Violated Federal Law

James Came Out Of Hiding To Attend Official White House Event That Repeatedly Promoted His Candidacy, In Violation Of Hatch Act

New reporting reveals failed politician John James participated in an event that may have violated federal law last month when an official, taxpayer-funded White House event he attended was used to promote his second attempt to run for Senate as his campaign increasingly struggles. The complaint filed with the Office of the Special Counsel says Trump administration officials violated the Hatch Act, which restricts political activity by Executive Branch employees. James also “referred to his campaign” during the official event.

James has made a point of prioritizing cozying up with out-of-state donors while avoiding questions from Michigan press and voters. Recently, James caught the attention and scrutiny of in-state media who have noted that James “continues to miss opportunities to talk to Michigan voters through local news media and press conferences,” preferring “limited FOX News appearances.” He’s also come under fire for trying to mislead voters behind closed doors on his support for Trump, when the reality is he’s ‘2000%’ with the president. And now, James is earning some well-deserved critical coverage for attending an event that likely violated federal law.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

WXYZ Detroit:

Detroit News: Democrats: White House event promoting John James violated Hatch Act

By Melissa Nann Burke

• Michigan Democrats claim Trump administration officials violated federal law when President Donald Trump used an official White House event in Ypsilanti last month to promote Republican U.S. Senate candidate John James.

• In a complaint to be filed Wednesday with the Official of the Special Counsel, the Democrats allege that White House staff and other administration officials violated the Hatch Act, which is the federal law restricting political activity by executive branch employees.

• They say the White House event, led by Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, was ostensibly to discuss the coronavirus pandemic, but the Republican president used it as a “photo-op” for the campaign of James, a Farmington Hills resident who is challenging Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township. 

• “Michiganders are facing unprecedented challenges, but instead of listening directly to those who are struggling, President Trump, John James and White House officials opted to turn a taxpayer-funded event into a political photo-op to try to influence the result of the election,” state Democratic Party spokeswoman Elena Kuhn said.

Detroit Metro Times: Trump accused of violating federal law by promoting Senate candidate John James at Ypsilanti event

By Steve Neavling 

• President Trump’s administration violated federal law by using a tax-funded visit to an Ypsilanti auto plant last month to promote Republican U.S. Senate candidate John James, the Michigan Democratic Party alleges in a complaint filed Wednesday.

• Michigan Democrats allege the White House staff and other administration officials violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in certain partisan activities while on duty.

• James has run a bizarre campaign, largely avoiding the local media and failing to divulge his positions on critical issues.

• Most of his media appearances have been on Fox News, and he has not responded to Metro Times’ repeated requests for an interview.

MLive: Michigan Dems say President Trump used meeting with black leaders to campaign for John James

By Gus Burns

• President Donald Trump turned a May 21 meeting in Ypsilanti Township meant to discuss the impact of the coronavirus on black residents into a campaign event for Senate hopeful John James, the Michigan Democratic Party alleged Wednesday, June 10, announcing a complaint filed with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.

• “Today, the Michigan Democratic Party filed a complaint under the Hatch Act following a taxpayer-funded event in which Trump Administration officials illegally promoted John James’ candidacy,” Michigan Democrats said in a Wednesday, June 10 statement. “While the event was ostensibly organized for official purposes, it was clearly a campaign photo-op in which Trump and other senior officials in their government capacity promoted James’ campaign.”

• The Hatch Act is intended “to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion, to protect federal employees from political coercion in the workplace and to ensure that federal employees are advanced based on merit and not based on political affiliation,” the Office of Special Counsel website says.

• Michigan Democrats said the event was “billed as an official government event to discuss recovery from the Coronavirus pandemic” and “led by the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, Secretary Ben Carson and other White House officials who organized, staffed, and supported an event which used taxpayer funds and official staff time to promote the candidacy of John James.”

• “The president and senior government officials who appeared in an official capacity were on taxpayer-funded time when they promoted James’ campaign and attacks were made against U.S. Senator Gary Peters,” Michigan Democrats said in a statement. “On at least five occasions, Trump endorsed James during the event, which also appeared on the White House’s official government website and YouTube channel.”

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