Trump Administration Violated Anti-Lobbying Laws Watchdog Says
Government Accountability Office says the Trump administration violated anti-lobbying laws by retweeting message supporting privatized air traffic control.
The federal watchdog says the Trump administration violated anti-lobbying laws in retweeting a message in support of a bill privatizing air traffic control.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) ruled that the Department of Transportation (DOT) violated federal law when it liked and retweeted a July post from Steve Forbes urging Congress to pass legislation that would privatize air traffic control.
The tweet that DOT shared tweet also included a link to a website where people automatically send an email to their Congressional representative urging them to support the legislation.
In a sign they the Department of Transportation recognized the violation, their Twitter account eventually untweeted and unliked the post – but only after it was flagged by the agency’s legal office.
“Although DOT was not the author of the tweet, DOT, by retweeting and liking it, not only endorsed the message, but also created agency content,” the GAO said.
Under current law, federal dollars are prohibited from being used to “pay for any personal service, advertisement, telegram, telephone, letter … intended or designed to influence in any manner a Member of Congress, a jurisdiction, or any official of any government, to favor, adopt, or oppose, by vote or otherwise, any legislation.”
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