Many on social media were stunned Tuesday evening after reading a tweet from the verified account Department of the Interior’s press secretary.
It started when Interior Secretary David Bernhardt posted a tweet promoting President Donald Trump, which some say called overly political and others suggested appeared to violate the Hatch Act.
Among those who complained was Tim Fullerton, who worked in the Interior Dept. during the Obama administration. Here’s what he tweeted:
Stunningly, Secretary Bernhardt’s press secretary’s Twitter account attacked Fullerton, saying, “Our tweets are approved by career ethics attorneys and thankfully no longer overseen by you.”
He went on to attack what he says is the Obama administration’s “rotten stench” and “blatant failure.”
According to his bio on Twitter Ben Goldey is Secretary Bernhardt’s Press Secretary. Goldey did not respond to a request for comment.
The Trump administration has had more ethics scandals than any administration in modern U.S.history. A 2018 report determined it is the “most unethical in modern history.”
In an interview with The Washington Post after this article was published Fullerton recalled his experience at Interior during the Obama administration.
In the run up to the 2012 election, 7-Eleven ran a promotion where customers could get their coffee in a blue cup for President Barack Obama or a red cup for his opponent, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R). Fullerton said the Interior Department strictly forbade the cups, seeing them as too political.
“We weren’t even allowed to bring those 7-Eleven cups into the building,” Fullerton said. “That seems so long ago.”
Here’s what some have been saying:
Former Clinton White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart:
National security and government accountability attorney Mark Zaid:
Former Bush 43 speechwriter David Frum:
Former United States Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro:
More:
Screenshot of DOI tweet should it be deleted:
This article has been updated to include the Washington Post interview.
Image of Sec. Bernhardt via Wikimedia