Secretary of State Mike Pompeo committed an “egregious violation” of the Hatch Act by delivering a video-taped speech from Israel to the Republican National Convention, according to a complaint filed by two law professors with the State Department's inspector general.
Past secretaries of state have gone to lengths to avoid the appearance of partisan political activity, particularly during nominating conventions for the administrations they served. Pompeo's speech violated the 1939 law, which limits the commingling of political activity and government business, says the complaint, filed late Wednesday.