54, Filed: 11/24/2008, Entered: None. REPLY in Opposition re 53 MOTION for Extension of Time to Complete Discovery ...
WASHINGTON—Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castrobroke a federal law restricting partisan activities by government employees in an April interview that touched on presidential contenders Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, a federal watchdog office said Monday.
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel said it concluded remarks made by the cabinet secretary in an interview with Katie Couric for Yahoo! News—where he praised Mrs. Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, and criticized Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee—violated the Hatch Act.
“Taking off my HUD hat for a second and just speaking individually, it’s very clear that Hillary Clinton is the most experienced, most thoughtful and most prepared candidate for president we have this year,” Mr. Castro said in the interview. He added Mr. Trump has shown “he’s just not prepared for the office” and that the Republican presidential contender “clearly does not even get the basic functions of our government.”
Mr. Castro made the comments while appearing in his official capacity as HUD secretary, the office said. Under the Hatch Act, federal employees are permitted to express their personal views on political issues, but not while they are conducting business under their government titles.
The special council’s office sent the report to President Barack Obama, who can decide whether the matter requires disciplinary action.
“Secretary Castro has acknowledged the inadvertent error he made,” White House spokeswoman Jennifer Friedman said in a statement. She added Mr. Castro “has taken full responsibility for ensuring that such errors do not occur again” and “takes the Hatch Act very seriously.”
Mr. Castro has long been a visible Clinton supporter. He endorsed the former secretary of state in October and campaigned for her through the end of the Democratic primary. He is believed to be her short list of vice president options.
Mr. Castro in a written response to the report said he thought he made it clear in the interview he was giving his personal beliefs and not speaking in an official capacity.
“At the time, I believed that this disclaimer was what was required by the Hatch Act,” Mr. Castro said. “However, your analysis provides that it was not sufficient.”
In 2012, another one of Mr. Obama’s cabinet secretaries, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, was accused of violating the Hatch Act. The special counsel’s office cited a speech that Ms. Sebelius gave early that year urging that Mr. Obama be re-elected, and endorsing Democratic gubernatorial candidate Walter Dalton.
Write to Julian Routh at julian.routh@wsj.com
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