I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8111 

To amend title 5, United States Code, to increase the penalties for violating 

the Hatch Act, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 25, 2020 

Mr. QUIGLEY (for himself, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. NORTON, and Ms. SCHAKOWSKY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform 

A BILL 

To amend title 5, United States Code, to increase the 

penalties for violating the Hatch Act, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Reducing Nefarious Crimes Act’’ or the ‘‘RNC Act’’. 

6 (b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

7 (1) The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (‘‘OSC’’) 

8 found that Counselor to the President Kellyanne 

9 Conway violated the Hatch Act on numerous occa10 sions by disparaging Democratic candidates for 


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1 President in 2019, and in 2018 by advocating for 

2 and against candidates in the 2017 special election 

3 for Senate in Alabama. 

4 (2) Ambassador Nikki Haley, then serving as 

5 U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, retweeted 

6 an endorsement by President Trump for a congres7 sional candidate in 2017. 

8 (3) In 2019, the OSC determined that former 

9 Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke violated the 

10 Hatch Act by posting a picture on Twitter that 

11 showed him in socks adorned with Trump campaign 

12 insignia. 

13 (4) In 2018, the OSC found six White House 

14 staff, Madeline Westerhout, Alyssa Farah, Jacob 

15 Wood, Raj Shah, Jessica Ditto, and Helen Aguirre 

16 Ferre, in violation of the Hatch Act for social media 

17 posts on their official Twitter accounts. 

18 (5) In 2017, the OSC determined that White 

19 House Director of Social Media Dan Scavino vio20 lated the Hatch Act when he used Twitter to call for 

21 the defeat of a then-sitting Republican Member of 

22 the House. 

23 (6) Jared Kushner spoke at length during a tel24 evision interview on how the impeachment trial bene25 fitted President Trump politically. 


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1 (7) In 2019, Ivanka Trump used her official 

2 Twitter account to post political content relating to 

3 President Trump’s reelection campaign and Ms. 

4 Trump may have violated the Standard of Conduct 

5 that prevents White House employees to endorse any 

6 product. 

7 (8) White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows 

8 and Senior Advisor to the President Stephen Miller 

9 criticized then-presumptive Democratic nominee for 

10 President, Joe Biden, during interviews while in 

11 their official capacity as White House staff. 

12 (9) As President, Donald J. Trump has given 

13 numerous political speeches in which he disparages 

14 political opponents from the White House. 

15 (10) The President, Donald J. Trump, planned 

16 to give his acceptance speech for the Republican 

17 Nomination for President at the Republican Na18 tional Convention on the White House grounds using 

19 Federal resources, thereby compelling Government 

20 employees to violate the Hatch Act on his behalf. 

21 SEC. 2. INCREASE IN HATCH ACT PENALTIES. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 7326 of title 5, United 

23 States Code, is amended— 

24 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘5 years’’ and 

25 inserting ‘‘7 years’’; and 


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1 (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘$1,000’’ and 

2 inserting ‘‘$50,000’’. 

3 (b) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by sub4 section (a) shall apply to any violation of section 7323 or 

5 7324 of title 5, United States Code, occurring on or after 

6 the date of enactment of this Act. 

7 SEC. 3. WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS COVERED UNDER HATCH 

8 ACT. 

9 Section 7324(a)(2) of title 5, United States Code, is 

10 amended by inserting after ‘‘building’’ the following: ‘‘(in11 cluding the White House and surrounding grounds, in12 cluding the Rose Garden, but not including the executive 

13 residence)’’. 

Æ 


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