WASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius admits she made a mistake during remarks in February that investigators say violated a federal law restricting the political activities of government employees.
Sebelius, who is spearheading the implementation of President Barack Obama’s health care reform law, warned at a meeting of the Human Rights Campaign that progress made on gay and lesbian rights under Obama could be “wiped out in a heartbeat” if the president was not re-elected in November.
She also called for the election of a Democratic governor in North Carolina. Human Rights Campaign represents people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
“Secretary Sebelius violated the Hatch Act by making extemporaneous political remarks,” investigators with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel concluded in a report that referred the case to the president for “appropriate action.”
The findings are unlikely to lead to disciplinary action against Sebelius but could provide fodder for Republicans, who vehemently oppose the Democratic Party’s embrace of homosexual rights issues, including gay marriage. Obama’s Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, has vowed to overturn the president’s policies, including the health reform law known as Obamacare.
“The report correctly states that I have acknowledged that the statements that you have identified were a mistake,” Sebelius said in a Sept. 7 letter to the Office of Special Counsel, which investigates alleged violations of the Hatch Act.
The Hatch Act prohibits most federal employees from engaging in political activity while on duty. But those nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate are allowed to do so in a personal capacity if taxpayers do not bear the costs.
Sebelius, a former Democratic governor of Kansas, was appointed by Obama, confirmed by the Senate and sworn into office in April 2009.
A White House official would not say whether the president would take action, but added that Sebelius had acted quickly to rectify the situation and had not been accused of such violations before.
According to investigators, the Department of Health and Human Services promptly reclassified the event as a political activity and reimbursed the U.S. Treasury for the expense.
A department official said the Democratic National Committee had paid a $2,500 reimbursement for the cost of the trip.
“This error was immediately acknowledged by the secretary, promptly corrected, and no taxpayer dollars were misused,” White House spokesman Eric Schultz said in a statement.
Nope! They weren’t a mistake. No mistakes are
ever made by the Obama crowd. It’s always someone else
who is at fault.
Of course conservative are perfect, omniscient, omnipotent, …
Leftist hacks. Yawn.
Gay rights will come regardless of who’s in office…
IT’S THE ECONOMY STUPID.
“This error was immediately acknowledged by the secretary, promptly corrected, and no taxpayer dollars were misused,” White House spokesman Eric Schultz said in a statement.
A White House official would not say whether the president would take action, but added that Sebelius had acted quickly to rectify the situation
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius admits she made a mistake during remarks in February
“The report correctly states that I have acknowledged that the statements that you have identified were a mistake,” Sebelius said in a Sept. 7 letter to the Office of Special Counsel
February to September is acting quickly and prompt??? Maybe in the Beltway world.
She warned at a meeting of the Human Rights Campaign that progress made on gay and lesbian rights under Obama could be “wiped out in a heartbeat” if the president was not re-elected in November. Human Rights Campaign represents people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Gee, almost sounds like Human Rights Commission if you look at it and say it fast. Yep, another alleged Roman Catholic nee Gilligan just like Joey the foot in mouth, Susan Collins and a slew of others who blatantly go against Church dogma, teaching and belief. And are Pious Frauds. Notice that Collins didn’t get married in a Catholic Church.
Update on Sebelius
Reclassify the trip from officvial to political, reimburse the government for expenses and say one mea culpa and everything is now nice nicee. SEVEN MONTHS LATER.
The White House indicated that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius would probably not be punished, after federal investigators determined she had violated the law when she campaigned earlier this year for President Obama.
Sebelius broke the law by making “extemporaneous partisan remarks” during a speech in February at a Human Rights Campaign Event in Charlotte, N.C., according to the Office of Special Counsel (OSC). She made the comments in the city that would later host the Democratic National Convention.
White House spokesman Eric Schultz explained in a statement that the administration has already taken action on the matter, though, putting Sebelius through training and making sure taxpayers were reimbursed.
“As the Office of Special Counsel has noted, these were extemporaneous remarks, the Health and Human Services Department has since reclassified the event to meet the correct standard, the U.S. Treasury has been reimbursed and Secretary Sebelius has met with ethics experts to ensure this never happens again,” Schultz said.
The agency, as Schultz noted, said the Department of Health and Human Services after the event reclassified the trip from official to political and that the federal government was reimbursed for related costs.
OSC spokeswoman Ann O’Hanlon said there is no formal rule for dealing with an appointed official in violation of the act. However, the agency investigates at least 100 cases such cases annually with “a great majority” of them being resolved internally and violators getting a suspension.
Representatives with The Catholic Association called earlier for Sebelius’ resignation.
“Throughout her tenure at Health and Human Services, most of Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ actions have advanced the president’s political interests,” they said in a joint statement.