Biden's education secretary is accused of 'flagrant' Hatch Act violations by Republican AGs.

Republicans allege that Miguel Cardona breached the Hatch Act with remarks praising President Biden's student loan relief program.

Biden's education secretary is accused of 'flagrant' Hatch Act violations by Republican AGs.
Biden's education secretary is accused of 'flagrant' Hatch Act violations by Republican AGs.

Two Republican attorneys general allege that Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona breached the Hatch Act with his recent remarks regarding President Biden's student loan forgiveness proposals.

On Wednesday, Attorneys General Austin Knudsen of Montana and Kris Kobach of Kansas wrote to the Hatch Act unit special counsel to inform the office that their statements and those of Cardona "seem to violate the Hatch Act because they were made on official duty and were intended to influence the 2024 Presidential election."

The attorneys general wrote that the violations were flagrant and warranted a substantial penalty.

Federal employees are restricted in their political activities by the Hatch Act.

Cardona education secretary on Capitol Hill
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images/File)

Biden and Harris announced the abolition of $156 billion in student debt just ten days after the Supreme Court rebuked their debt relief plan.

The Supreme Court ruled that Biden's student loan forgiveness plan was unconstitutional because the administration exceeded its authority in attempting to erase $400 billion in debt.

The Biden-Harris Administration's debt cancellation plans are clearly a pretextual move, as evidenced by the rushed release of the first round of debt relief, which was timed to coincide with the 2022 elections in a transparent attempt to boost voter turnout and secure votes with federal funds.

Petitions-Charges-Kansas-Florida
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach (AP Photo/John Hanna/File)

The second round of debt cancellation, coincidentally, was scheduled to commence right before the 2024 election, as stated.

According to Knudsen and Kobach, a letter sent from Cardona on official government letterhead is a violation of the Hatch Act.

Cardona stated in a July 15 letter that Biden and he are committed to reducing costs for student loan borrowers, making student debt repayment affordable and achievable, and building on their previous efforts that have already provided relief to 4.75 million Americans, despite attempts by Republican elected officials to obstruct them.

Biden points on stage in Madison during student debt relief event
President Biden speaks about student loan debt at Madison College, April 8, 2024, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci/File)

President Biden and our Administration will not stop fighting to ensure Americans have affordable access to higher education, despite the Republican elected officials' efforts to align with special interests and hinder borrowers from obtaining relief on their student loans.

Knudsen and Kobach claim that both statements likely breach the Hatch Act and attack State officials based on their political affiliation.

The Hatch Act was violated by Cardona, who used government resources for political activities, including influencing the upcoming Presidential election. As a result, a significant penalty is necessary.

The Department of Education's spokesperson stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that the statements made about the lawsuits were accurate and aimed at clarifying borrowers' loan status after court decisions. The statements did not violate the Hatch Act.

by Brianna Herlihy

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