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After Unions Protest, Feds Revise Political Speech Restriction

By BOB HENNELLY
Posted 12/4/18

In the wake of protests from unions and civil-liberties groups, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel took the unusual step of backing off its original guidance for Federal employees that “strong criticism or praise” of a presidential administration—including discussing impeachment or “resistance”—constituted a violation of the Hatch Act prohibiting on-duty Federal workers from engaging in political activity.

The independent ethics agency’s revision said its earlier guidance “was not intended to prevent all discussions of impeachment,” such as when Federal workers are talking about such a scenario “without advocating for or against its use.”

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