White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro has been under investigation by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal watchdog agency. The OSC has just issued a report charging Navarro with violating federal law numerous times.
The OSC’s “investigation determined that Dr. Navarro violated the Hatch Act’s prohibition against using his official authority or influence to affect an election by engaging in political activity during official media appearances and on his official Twitter account,” the report found.
“Dr. Navarro often attacked Mr. Biden about his relationship with China and at times accused him of being ‘compromised’ and susceptible to being ‘bought’ by China, even nicknaming him ‘Beijing Biden.’ Dr. Navarro also argued that a Biden presidency would be devastating to the U.S. economy, and he disparaged vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris, calling her a mouthpiece who cannot be taken seriously.”
The report also found “Dr. Navarro’s violations of the Hatch Act were knowing and willful. He committed these violations after having received training on the Hatch Act and, for most of the violations, while knowing that OSC was investigating him for engaging in the same prohibited political activity.”
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) Executive Director Noah Bookbinder in a statement said: “In an administration full of people illegally using their government positions to influence an election, Navarro has been one of the worst.”
OSC says it has submitted its report to President Donald Trump for “appropriate disciplinary action.”
In October NCRM reported that at least six Trump cabinet secretaries are accused or under investigation for violating federal law, and at least eight more administration officials were also accused or under investigation.