USPS and Union Did Nothing Wrong

[The Conservative]

FFS.

More specifically, Further Restricted employees include employees from the following agencies (or components) or in the following positions:

Federal Election Commission;
Election Assistance Commission;
Federal Bureau of Investigation;
Secret Service;
Central Intelligence Agency;
National Security Council;
National Security Agency;
Defense Intelligence Agency;
Merit Systems Protection Board;
Office of Special Counsel;
Office of Criminal Investigation of the Internal Revenue Service;
Office of Investigative Programs of the United States Customs Service;
Office of Law Enforcement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms;
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency;
Office of the Director of National Intelligence;
Criminal Division of the Department of Justice;
National Security Division of the Department of Justice; as well as
Persons employed in positions described under Sections 3132(a)(4), 5372, 5372 (a), or 5372(b) of Title 5, United States Code, including:
Senior Executive Service [career positions described at 5 U.S.C. § 3132 (a)(4)]
Administrative Law Judges [positions described at 5 U.S.C. § 5372]
Contract Appeals Board Members [positions described at 5 U.S.C. § 5372 (a)]
Administrative Appeals Judges [positions described at 5 U.S.C. § 5372(b)]

From YOUR website. Do you see USPS on there?

Since you're so hung up on the pamphlet being from 2014, here's one from 2016. https://osc.gov/Resources/HA%20Poster%2 ... 202016.pdf

*Further-restricted agencies and employees include:
o Election Assistance Commission
o Federal Election Commission
o Office of the Director of National Intelligence
o Central Intelligence Agency
o Defense Intelligence Agency
o National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
o National Security Agency
o National Security Council
o National Security Division (Department of Justice)
o Criminal Division (Department of Justice)
o Federal Bureau of Investigation
o Secret Service
o Office of Criminal Investigation (IRS)
o Office of Investigative Programs (Customs Service)
o Office of Law Enforcement (ATF)
o Merit Systems Protection Board
o U.S. Office of Special Counsel
o Career members of the Senior Executive Service
o Administrative law judges, administrative appeals judges, and
contract appeals board members

The SAME.

And since they are not further restricted (again, from your website):

May not engage in political activity – i.e., activity directed at the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group – while the employee is on duty, in any federal room or building, while wearing a uniform or official insignia, or using any federally owned or leased vehicle.

It's not about you asking a simple question. It's about asking the same goddamn simple question over and over again when you've already been given the answer.

I'm done with this thread.

Then you are a moron.

https://osc.gov/Pages/The-Hatch-Act-Fre ... Email.aspx

(2) Do not engage in political activity in an official capacity at any time.

(3) Do not solicit or receive political contributions at any time.

“Political activity” refers to any activity directed at the success or failure of a political party or partisan political group (collectively referred to as “partisan groups”), or candidate in a partisan race.

In addition, some federal employees are considered “further restricted,” which means they are prohibited from taking an active part in partisan political management or partisan political campaigns. Thus, they may not engage, via social media and email, in any political activity on behalf of a partisan group or candidate in a partisan race. Most further restricted employees work in law enforcement or intelligence agencies.
These rules have some very limited exceptions. When in doubt, federal employees should consult OSC or their agency ethics officers.

The following list of questions is not comprehensive, but answers many of the most commonly asked questions regarding the Hatch Act and the use of social media and email. Please note that although the FAQs refer to Facebook and Twitter, the advice provided is applicable to any social media platform. If federal employees have further questions, they should email OSC at hatchact@osc.gov.

(16) Q: May a federal​ employee send or forward a partisan political email to subordinate employees?

A: No. It is an improper use of official authority for a supervisor to send or forward a partisan political email to subordinates, at any time.

(17) Q: May a federal employee send or forward an email invitation to a political fundraising event to others?

A: No. The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from soliciting or receiving political contributions, which includes inviting individuals to political fundraising events, at any time.​

[Kazmyr]

Your reading comprehension is utter shit. What you just posted undermines everything you've been bleating about in this entire thread. But if it helps you sleep to think you "won" this thread, have at it.

[The Conservative]

Your reading comprehension is utter shit. What you just posted undermines everything you've been bleating about in this entire thread. But if it helps you sleep to think you "won" this thread, have at it.

No, it doesn't, it means that at this time there are limitations on what they can and can't do. I asked a very specific thing since you like to chew on blathersite, you refuse to answer.

[Speaker to Animals]

Note that even Fife bailed from this one.

[Fife]

Nay nay, quite a successful thread, IMNSHO.... the point was established rather well. Government crab-bucketing is a real gasser for entertainment value.

[SuburbanFarmer]

Your reading comprehension is utter shit. What you just posted undermines everything you've been bleating about in this entire thread. But if it helps you sleep to think you "won" this thread, have at it.

The last "A" in TCs quote is pretty damning.

What's that about reading?

[The Conservative]

Also:

https://www.npmhu.org/media/update/guid ... -hatch-act

PERMITTED
Register and vote as you choose
Assist in voter registration drives
Contribute to political campaigns and organizations
Volunteer on or manage a partisan campaign
Recruit volunteers for a political campaign
Raise money for the Mail Handler PAC from other NPMHU members and their families
Display bumper stickers, lawn signs, and other campaign signs
Attend a political fundraiser
Run as a candidate for office in a non-partisan election
Volunteer, hold an office, or participate in local and state political parties
Express your opinions about candidates and issues
Sign petitions
Participate in political rallies and meetings
Make campaign speeches for a candidate in a partisan election
Campaign for or against referendum questions, constitutional amendments, or municipal ordinances

PROHIBITED
Run for office in a partisan election
Raise money for a candidate in a partisan election
Host a fundraiser at your home
Solicit political contributions in a speech
Solicit or receive political contributions or volunteer services from a subordinate employee (unless you are members of the same labor organization)
Engage in political activities while on duty, in a postal facility or in a postal vehicle, or while wearing an official uniform, postal badge or other postal clothing
Wear political buttons on duty
Coerce employees to make a contribution to a campaign
Participate in non-Mail Handler PAC phone bank solicitations for political contributions
Allow your name to be used on an invitation or mailing for fundraising purposes
Display partisan posters on federal or postal premises
Use your official title to influence or interfere with an election
Solicit or discourage the political activities of any person with business before the Postal Service

The two Prohibited things I bolded, takes outright 90% of what being part of a political campaign is.

Not to mention, all political activities are partisan when you are working for a candidate.

[Kazmyr]

Ok, I tell you what.

I just re-read this entire thread. TC's assertion throughout this whole thing is that USPS employees are strictly verboten from any kind of political activity because they are fed. gov't employees and the Hatch Act says no. Specifically, here - that NALC members, who work for USPS, cannot do any campaign work ("political activity") for Clinton, except for, maybe voting.

The point, I and others, have been trying to ram through his thick fucking skull is that you can participate in certain political activities, outlined in certain scenarios within the Hatch Act. It is not a wholesale block on any and all political activity. Hence, my bone to pick with TC when he's citing things like "(2) Do not engage in political activity in an official capacity at any time" and is ignoring the official capacity. Union members were NOT acting in official capacity. It was time-off (union funded doesn't mean it's official capacity, either).

I'm willing to admit that, based on the email cites posted by TC, that there was probably a violation by USPS managers, not the union members. I'll admit that I was wrong there. If the union had left out the reason why they wanted time off, this becomes a non-issue. But because it 1.) listed "political activity" as the purpose and 2.) was forwarded by middle-management at USPS, it becomes a no-no. Fine.

Contending that union members participating during their time off in political activity is a violation of the Hatch Act is wrong.

And, TC, since you were keen to nitpick about the date of the pamphlet, I'm nitpicking about the union Hatch Act page you posted. Use the right union:
Letter carriers and the Hatch Act

Do’s (while off the clock, out of uniform)
Active letter carriers may—on their own time, away from work, out of uniform and without using a postal vehicle:

Be candidates for public office in non-partisan elections (that is, elections in which none of the candidates are to be nominated or elected are representing a political party).
Register and vote.
Sign and circulate candidate nominating petitions and ballot initiative positions.
Assist in voter-registration drives.
Speak and write publicly and otherwise express opinions about candidates, ballot measures and issues.
Attend political rallies, meetings and other events.
Attend fundraisers and contribute money to political organizations and campaigns.
Volunteer for political campaigns and encourage others to volunteer.
Participate in phone-banking and precinct-walking for candidates and ballot measures.
Display bumper stickers, lawn signs and other campaign paraphernalia.
Raise money for the Letter Carrier Political Fund from other NALC members. (Note: Letter carriers while detailed to 204b or other higher level assignments should not solicit contributions to the Letter Carrier Political Fund from postal employees who may be viewed as their subordinates.)
Volunteer, run for and hold an office in a local or state political party or club.

USPS broke law in allowing workers to boost Clinton campaign, watchdog says

“The Labor 2016 program sought to ‘elect Hillary Clinton and pro-worker candidates across the country,’” the report said, citing campaign work like door-to-door canvassing, phone banks and other get-out-the-vote efforts.

[The Conservative]

Ok, I tell you what.

I just re-read this entire thread. TC's assertion throughout this whole thing is that USPS employees are strictly verboten from any kind of political activity because they are fed. gov't employees and the Hatch Act says no. Specifically, here - that NALC members, who work for USPS, cannot do any campaign work ("political activity") for Clinton, except for, maybe voting.

The point, I and others, have been trying to ram through his thick fucking skull is that you can participate in certain political activities, outlined in certain scenarios within the Hatch Act. It is not a wholesale block on any and all political activity. Hence, my bone to pick with TC when he's citing things like "(2) Do not engage in political activity in an official capacity at any time" and is ignoring the official capacity. Union members were NOT acting in official capacity. It was time-off (union funded doesn't mean it's official capacity, either).

I'm willing to admit that, based on the email cites posted by TC, that there was probably a violation by USPS managers, not the union members. I'll admit that I was wrong there. If the union had left out the reason why they wanted time off, this becomes a non-issue. But because it 1.) listed "political activity" as the purpose and 2.) was forwarded by middle-management at USPS, it becomes a no-no. Fine.

Contending that union members participating during their time off in political activity is a violation of the Hatch Act is wrong.

And, TC, since you were keen to nitpick about the date of the pamphlet, I'm nitpicking about the union Hatch Act page you posted. Use the right union:
Letter carriers and the Hatch Act

Do’s (while off the clock, out of uniform)
Active letter carriers may—on their own time, away from work, out of uniform and without using a postal vehicle:

Be candidates for public office in non-partisan elections (that is, elections in which none of the candidates are to be nominated or elected are representing a political party).
Register and vote.
Sign and circulate candidate nominating petitions and ballot initiative positions.
Assist in voter-registration drives.
Speak and write publicly and otherwise express opinions about candidates, ballot measures and issues.
Attend political rallies, meetings and other events.
Attend fundraisers and contribute money to political organizations and campaigns.
Volunteer for political campaigns and encourage others to volunteer.
Participate in phone-banking and precinct-walking for candidates and ballot measures.
Display bumper stickers, lawn signs and other campaign paraphernalia.
Raise money for the Letter Carrier Political Fund from other NALC members. (Note: Letter carriers while detailed to 204b or other higher level assignments should not solicit contributions to the Letter Carrier Political Fund from postal employees who may be viewed as their subordinates.)
Volunteer, run for and hold an office in a local or state political party or club.

USPS broke law in allowing workers to boost Clinton campaign, watchdog says

“The Labor 2016 program sought to ‘elect Hillary Clinton and pro-worker candidates across the country,’” the report said, citing campaign work like door-to-door canvassing, phone banks and other get-out-the-vote efforts.

I agree with most of what you said, but the part you have bolded, you missed one key element of something you bolded.

Raise money for the Letter Carrier Political Fund from other NALC members. (Note: Letter carriers while detailed to 204b or other higher level assignments should not solicit contributions to the Letter Carrier Political Fund from postal employees who may be viewed as their subordinates.)

They are able to raise money for their own entity, they cannot sit on the phones for a candidate to make money for their campaign. So this is where they broke The Hatch Law.

I have also said that they could (and if you read through all of my posts) vote, and hold up signs... off duty and out of uniform. They could not, as I have had said multiple times man any phone banks, or go door to door.

[Kazmyr]

Since the modern media isn't worth two squirts of piss - I was able to drag up the actual OSC report, myself:

https://osc.gov/Resources/FINAL%202017% ... dacted.pdf

Main Bullets:

1. By communicating lists of Labor 2016 participants to local managers, USPS headquarters assured that requests for union offical LWOP to engage in political activity would be favored.

2. USPS's local managers favored NALC members' requests for leave to engage in political activity during Labor 2016 because the requests were characterized as union official LWOP.

B. USPS's practice of favoring NALC's political activity violated the Hatch Act.

And the money shot:

However, OSC concludes that USPS management took official actions with the intent of enabling NALC's political activity, and with a clear understanding of what the activity involved. The collective involvement of USPS management in the Labor 2016 program constitutes a systemic violation of the Hatch Act.

Because the union sent lists requesting leave for union official political business, explicitly, and because the USPS didn't want to piss off the union and at the same time, try to not look like they were saying no to a particular candidate, they stepped in it. Now would this be a big deal if a bunch of non-union USPS employees took LWOP for campaigning for Trump, thereby 'eliminating' favoritism? Maybe not.