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Donald Trump’s top business adviser violates political activity laws in comments about Joe Biden’s approach to China, investigators say.
US President Donald Trump’s top trade adviser Peter Navarro violated laws that prohibit government officials from engaging in political activity in comments that discredited Joe Biden’s approach to China, federal investigators found, a report found. presented on Monday. office of trade and manufacturing policy, violated the Hatch Act “by using his official authority or influence to interfere or affect the outcome of the 2020 presidential election,” according to a report compiled by the special counsel and sent to the White House on Monday. According to the Hatch Act, government officials, excluding the president and vice president, cannot use their official position to defend or denigrate any particular political party or candidate. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the great stories originating from China.Despite those laws, Navarro used at least six media interviews since May of this year to attack Biden, vehemently stating that the Democratic candidate (now president-elect) was “compromised” and could be “bought” by the Chinese government, the report says. Navarro took the same rhetoric to his official Twitter account, where he called former vice president “Beijing Biden” and said he was “soft” on China, according to the report. The special prosecutor also cited comments from Navarro, who made headlines a year ago when it emerged that he had fabricated an interview for several of his anti-China books. , which accused Biden of plagiarism. “His comments were aimed at undermining Biden’s presidential candidacy and persuading voters not to support him in the 2020 election,” the special counsel’s report says. Navarro was notified by the United States Special Counsel’s Office in July that he was under investigation for violations of the Hatch Act, preceding several of the incidents included in the report as evidence. As such, investigators charged, his “violations of the Hatch Act were willful and deliberate.” Trump does not plan new tariffs on China, says a White House adviser During his tenure in the White House, Navarro has built a reputation for war attacks against those he believes conspire against Trump, most often targeting leaders in Beijing . The report was a Fox News response to Biden’s criticism of the Trump administration’s coronavirus response: “For Brother Joe, I suppose he forgot the eight years he was praising and bowing down to the Chinese and course, basically it won’t. In the six interviews cited by the special prosecutor, Navarro appeared in his official capacity. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the report, White House lawyers had asserted that Navarro’s statements were “factual and policy-based” and therefore did not constitute “defense for or against a candidate” – a legal argument that the special counsel rejected. Now it is up to Trump to decide whether to take disciplinary action against Navarro, which could include removal from office, disbarment from federal service, demotion, civil fine or formal reprimand. determinations of violations of the Hatch Act that result in disciplinary action for senior officials. Additionally, Trump is known for rewarding those he perceives as loyal allies. In 2019, when then-presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway was deemed by the special counsel as a “repeat offender” of Hatch Act violations, Trump refused to fire her and indicted investigators. of “try to remove [Conway’s] right to freedom of expression “. In addition to Navarro and Conway, the Trump administration is home to many other top officials who have been accused, whether by official oversight bodies, legislators or advocacy groups, of violating the Hatch Act. Biden should leverage the alliance with Japan to counter China, say former US officials According to a tally by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a government ethics watchdog, Trump’s daughter and adviser, Ivanka Trump, violated the Hatch Act on her Twitter account. At least 38 times in October. In the same month, Democrats on Capitol Hill opened an investigation into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for possible violations of the Hatch Act, following his extraordinary appearance at the Republican National Convention to back Trump for re-election. who had reported Navarro’s alleged violations to the special prosecutor, applauded the findings published Monday. “In an administration full of people illegally using their government positions to influence an election, Navarro has been one of the worst,” said the group’s chief executive, Noah Bookbinder, said in a statement. “It’s not about not knowing better, it’s about a lack of interest in following the law, even when the cost to our democracy is severe,” he said. More from the South China Morning Post: * Donald Trump does not plan new tariffs on China, Says White House Adviser Larry Kudlow * Joe Biden Should Start Japan Alliance To Counter China’s Influence, Say Former US Officials * US Target More China Officials Over Hong Kong Crackdown Sources Say * China ‘Accepts’ Joe Biden Won’t Rush to Eliminate Donald Trump’s U.S. Trade War Tariffs, Analysts Say * Donald Trump Says He Will Leave the White House if the Electoral College votes for Joe Biden Trump’s top trade adviser violates political activity laws in comments on Joe Biden’s approach to China, say investigators who first appeared in the South China Morning Post for the latest news d the South China Morning Post, download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.
