Did Pete Hegseth violate the Hatch Act during his stop in Kentucky?
OKAY. NOW TO OUR COMMITMENT 2026 COVERAGE. THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR U.S. HOUSE MADE THEIR FINAL PUSH TO KENTUCKY VOTERS. WE HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE OF THE ELECTION FOR YOU TONIGHT, INCLUDING WHAT VOTERS NEED TO KNOW BEFORE HEADING TO THE POLLS TOMORROW. WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH ALEXIS MATHEWS IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY, WHERE AND THOMAS MASSIE STOPPED AHEAD OF TOMORROW’S PRIMARY. HI, ALEXIS. PROBABLY BLEW UP THE PLACE. VICKI. RICK. GOOD EVENING. ONE OF THOSE STOPS INCLUDED A RARE APPEARANCE BY A SITTING WAR SECRETARY TODAY. PETE HAS SAID PUBLICLY ENDORSED RYAN, BUT HIS CHALLENGER, THOMAS MASSIE, APPEARED TO BE UNFAZED. NOW IN THE HOTBED RACE FOR KENTUCKY’S FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS ED O’BRIEN AND THOMAS MASSIE MADE A FINAL PLEA TO VOTERS. WE’RE GOING TO GO NOW TO THE STORY IN THE HOTBED RACE FOR KENTUCKY’S FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS ED GAUL, RYAN AND THOMAS MASSIE MAKE A FINAL PLEA TO VOTERS IN THE COMMONWEALTH GAUL. RYAN VISITED HEBRON MONDAY, JOINED BY U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH. THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN HISTORY RIGHT NOW. AND YOU’RE HAVING A SECRETARY OF WAR COMING HERE TO LITTLE OLD KENTUCKY TO SEE YOU TODAY. IS THAT SOMETHING? HECK, SETH, WHO TRAVELED TO FORT CAMPBELL AHEAD OF THIS STOP, VOICED SUPPORT FOR RYAN. BOTH SHARE MILITARY BACKGROUNDS, WHICH SETH BELIEVES MAKES HIM THE RIGHT CHOICE. THE SHELBY COUNTY NATIVE IS ALSO ENDORSED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP. THIS RACE MATTERS. THAT’S WHY I’M PROUD HERE TO STAND WITH ED, THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT TYPICALLY REMAINS IMPARTIAL TO MAINTAIN THE MILITARY’S APOLITICAL IMAGE. HECK, SETH, WHILE CHAMPIONING FOR RYAN, ALSO TOOK SHOTS AT HIS OPPONENT. TOO OFTEN, THOMAS MASSIE IS ACTING LIKE HIS JOB IS TO STAND APART FROM THE MOVEMENT THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP LEADS INSTEAD OF STRENGTHENING IT. WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP NEEDS BACKUP, MASSIE WANTS TO DEBATE MASSIE, ALSO IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY. MONDAY, DOES NOT APPEAR CONCERNED WITH WHO BACKS HIS CHALLENGER. THE INCUMBENT AFFIRMS THAT HIS SEAT CANNOT BE BOUGHT WHILE LEANING ON TRANSPARENCY THROUGH THE EPSTEIN FILES ACT. HE HELPED PASS, AND HOW HE WILL CONTINUE TO CALL OUT THE TRILLION DOLLAR DEBT. OUR NATION IS EXPERIENCING. THE PRESIDENT’S ENDORSEMENT IS CONSEQUENTIAL. IT REALLY IS. IT’S GOOD FOR ABOUT 20 POINTS IN AN ELECTION, AND I USUALLY BEAT MY OPPONENTS 8020. AND THE PRESIDENT’S ENDORSEMENT, THIS WOULD BE A GOOD RACE, BUT I WOULD WIN 6040. NOW, THERE ARE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT POTENTIALLY VIOLATING THE HATCH ACT BY PARTICIPATING IN TODAY’S RALLY. BUT PENTAGON OFFICIALS SENT ME A STATEMENT SAYING THAT HE IS ATTENDING IN HIS PERSONAL CAPACITY, AND THIS VISIT IS NOT FUNDED BY T
Did Pete Hegseth violate the Hatch Act during his stop in Kentucky?
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made a stop in Kentucky Monday to endorse Ed Gallrein in the Fourth Congressional race.Hegseth’s visit raised the question: did he violate the Hatch Act?Established in 1939, the Hatch Act “generally prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity while on duty, in a federal facility, or using federal property. Political activity is defined as any activity directed toward the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group.”So did Hegseth violate the law?According to a spokesperson with the Pentagon, Hegseth attended the event in a “personal capacity.”“Secretary Hegseth is attending this event in his personal capacity. No taxpayer dollars will be used to facilitate his visit. His participation has been thoroughly vetted and cleared by lawyers, including the Department of War Office of General Counsel, and does not violate the Hatch Act or any other applicable federal statute,” said chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell in a statement to WLKY.Since Hegseth was not at the event in a professional capacity and it was not at a federal facility, he did not violate the law.Gallrein is trying to unseat incumbent Thomas Massie in the Fourth Congressional race. Hegseth’s endorsement for Gallrein follows President Donald Trump’s endorsement of the challenger.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made a stop in Kentucky Monday to endorse Ed Gallrein in the Fourth Congressional race.
Hegseth’s visit raised the question: did he violate the Hatch Act?
Established in 1939, the Hatch Act “generally prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity while on duty, in a federal facility, or using federal property. Political activity is defined as any activity directed toward the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group.”
So did Hegseth violate the law?
According to a spokesperson with the Pentagon, Hegseth attended the event in a “personal capacity.”
“Secretary Hegseth is attending this event in his personal capacity. No taxpayer dollars will be used to facilitate his visit. His participation has been thoroughly vetted and cleared by lawyers, including the Department of War Office of General Counsel, and does not violate the Hatch Act or any other applicable federal statute,” said chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell in a statement to WLKY.
Since Hegseth was not at the event in a professional capacity and it was not at a federal facility, he did not violate the law.
Gallrein is trying to unseat incumbent Thomas Massie in the Fourth Congressional race. Hegseth’s endorsement for Gallrein follows President Donald Trump’s endorsement of the challenger.