Source: http://www.usda-ethics.net/rules/rule5.htm
Timestamp: 2014-04-19 19:51:49
Document Index: 434689543

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 7322', '§ 7323', '§ 7324', '§ 7325', '§ 7326', 'ART 734', '§ 734', 'art 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 550', '§ 734', '§ 734', 'ART 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 550', '§ 734', '§ 734', 'ART 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 550', '§ 550', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 550', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', 'ART 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 733', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 734', '§ 550', 'ART 734', '§ 734', 'ART 734', '§ 734', '§ 734']

The USDA Office of Ethics | Political Activities
Office of Government Ethics Authority
Non-Career SES and Schedule C Employees
Career Staff below the SES level
Career SES, ALJs & Board of Contract Appeals members
§ 7322. Definitions For the purpose of this subchapter -
(1) "employee" means any individual, other than the President and the Vice President, employed or holding office in -
(C) the government of the District of Columbia, other than the Mayor or a member of the City Council or the Recorder of Deeds; but does not include a member of the uniformed services; (2) "partisan political office" means any office for which any candidate is nominated or elected as representing a party any of whose candidates for Presidential elector received votes in the last preceding election at which Presidential electors were selected, but shall exclude any office or position within a political party or affiliated organization; and
(3) "political contribution" -
(C) includes any payment by any person, other than a candidate or a political party or affiliated organization, of compensation for the personal services of another person which
are rendered to any candidate or political party or affiliated organization without charge for any political purpose; and
(D) includes the provision of personal services for any
§ 7323. Political activity authorized; prohibitions (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b), an employee may take an active part in political management or in political campaigns, except an employee may not -
(2) knowingly solicit, accept, or receive a political contribution from any person, unless such person is -
(C) the solicitation is for a contribution to the multicandidate political committee (as defined under section 315(a)(4) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(4))) of such Federal labor organization as defined under section 7103(4) of this title or a Federal employee organization which as of the date of the enactment of the Hatch Act Reform Amendments of 1993 had a multicandidate political committee (as defined under section 315(a)(4) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(4))); or (3) run for the nomination or as a candidate for election to a partisan political office; or
(4) knowingly solicit or discourage the participation in any political activity of any person who -
(B) The provisions of subparagraph (A) shall apply to -
(i) an employee of -
(ii) a person employed in a position described under section 3132(a)(4), 5372, or 5372a of title 5, United States Code.
(c) An employee retains the right to vote as he chooses and to express his opinion on political subjects and candidates. § 7324. Political activities on duty; prohibition (a) An employee may not engage in political activity -
(2) in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties by an individual employed or holding office in the Government of the United States or any agency or
(2) Paragraph (1) applies to an employee -
(A) the duties and responsibilities of whose position continue
outside normal duty hours and while away from the normal duty
(B) who is -
(i) an employee paid from an appropriation for the Executive
Office of the President; or
(ii) an employee appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, whose position is located within the United States, who determines policies to be pursued by the United States in relations with foreign powers or in the nationwide administration of Federal laws. § 7325. Political activity permitted; employees residing in certain municipalities
The Office of Personnel Management may prescribe regulations permitting employees, without regard to the prohibitions in paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 7323(a) and paragraph (2) of
section 7323(b) of this title, to take an active part in political management and political campaigns involving the municipality or other political subdivision in which they reside, to the extent the
Office considers it to be in their domestic interest, when -
(1) the municipality or political subdivision is in Maryland or Virginia and in the immediate vicinity of the District of Columbia, or is a municipality in which the majority of voters
are employed by the Government of the United States; and
(2) the Office determines that because of special or unusual circumstances which exist in the municipality or political subdivision it is in the domestic interest of the employees and
individuals to permit that political participation. § 7326. Penalties
An employee or individual who violates section 7323 or 7324 of this title shall be removed from his position, and funds appropriated for the position from which removed thereafter may not
be used to pay the employee or individual. However, if the Merit System Protection Board finds by unanimous vote that the violation does not warrant removal, a penalty of not less than 30 days' suspension without pay shall be imposed by direction of the Board. [Code of Federal Regulations]
TITLE 5  ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL
 CHAPTER I OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (Continued)
 PART 734 
POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES Subpart AGeneral Provisions
§ 734.101 Definitions. For the purposes of this part:
Employee means any individual (other than the President, Vice President, or a member of the uniformed services) employed or holding office in
(2) A position within the competitive service which is not in an Executive agency;
(3) The Government of the District of Columbia, other than the Mayor or a member of the City Council or the Recorder of Deeds; or
(4) The United States Postal Service or the Postal Rate Commission. Employing office shall have the meaning given by the head of each agency or instrumentality of the United States Government or District of Columbia Government covered by this part. Each agency or instrumentality shall provide notice identifying the appropriate employing offices within it through internal agency notice procedures. Federal employee organization means any lawful nonprofit organization, association, society, or club composed of Federal employees.
Multicandidate political committee means an organization defined in 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(4). Nonpartisan election means
(2) Representing any agency or instrumentality of the United States Government or any agency or instrumentality of the District of Columbia Government in an official capacity. Partisan when used as an adjective means related to a political party. Partisan political group means any committee, club, or other organization which is affiliated with a political party or candidate for public office in a partisan election, or organized for a partisan purpose, or which engages in partisan political activity.
(3) The provision of personal services, paid or unpaid, for any political purpose. (b) A political contribution does not include the value of services provided without compensation by any individual who volunteers on behalf of any candidate, campaign, political party, or partisan political group. Political management means the direction or supervision of a partisan political group or campaign for partisan political office.
(1) Any Federally owned space (including, but not limited to, public buildings as defined in 40 U.S.C. 612(1)) or Federally leased space in which Federal employees perform official duties on a regular basis;
(3) A room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties by an individual employed or holding office in the Government of the United States or any agency thereof does not include rooms in the White House, or in the residence of the Vice President, which are part of the Residence area or which are not regularly used solely in the discharge of official duties. Solicit means to request expressly of another person that he or she contribute something to a candidate, a campaign, a political party, or partisan political group.
(1) By letter addressed to the Office of Special Counsel at 1730 M Street NW., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036, or
(2) By telephone on (202) 653-7188, or (1-800) 854-2824. (b) The Merit Systems Protection Board has exclusive authority to determine whether a violation of the Hatch Act Reform Amendments of 1993, as implemented by 5 CFR part 734, has occurred and to impose a minimum penalty of suspension for 30 days and a maximum penalty of removal for violation of the political activity restrictions regulated by this part. (5 U.S.C. 1204 and 7326).
(c) The Office of Personnel Management is authorized to issue regulations describing the political activities which are permitted and prohibited under the Hatch Act Reform Amendments of 1993. (5 U.S.C. 1103, 1104, 7325; Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1978, 92 Stat. 3783, 3 CFR 1978 Comp. p. 323; and E.O. 12107, 3 CFR 1978 Comp. p. 264.)[59 FR 48769, Sept. 23, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 35100, July 5, 1996]
(e) Any other employees who serve at the pleasure of the President. [Code of Federal Regulations]
TITLE 5 ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL
CHAPTER IOFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (Continued)
POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES Subpart BPermitted Activities
§ 734.204 Participation in political organizations. An employee may:
§ 734.205 Participation in political campaigns. Subject to the prohibitions in § 734.306, an employee may:
§ 734.208 Participation in fund-raising. (a) An employee may make a political contribution to a political party, political group, campaign committee of a candidate for public office in a partisan election and multicandidate political committee of a Federal labor or Federal employee organization.
(b) Subject to the prohibitions stated in section 734.303, an employee may
(iii) The request is for a contribution to the multicandidate political committee of a Federal labor organization or to the multicandidate political committee of a Federal employee organization in existence on October 6, 1993. (c) Subject to the provisions of § 734.306, an employee may make a financial contribution to a political action committee through a voluntary allotment made under § 550.311(b) of this chapter, if the head of the employee's agency permits agency employees to make such allotments to political action committees.
Example 3: An employee's name may appear on an invitation to a political fundraiser as a guest speaker as long as the reference in no way suggests that the employee solicits or encourages contributions, as prohibited in § 734.303 of this part and described in example 2 thereunder. However, the employee's official title may not appear on invitations to any political fundraiser, except that an employee who is ordinarily addressed using a general term of address, such as The Honorable, may use or permit the use of that term of address for such purposes.
Example 13: Employees who are permitted to solicit, accept, or receive political contributions under the circumstances described in § 734.208(b)(4) may not solicit, accept, or receive such contributions either while they are on duty, or while they are on Federal premises, or both.[59 FR 48769, Sept. 23, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 35100, July 5, 1996] [Code of Federal Regulations]
TITLE 5ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL
 PART 734 POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES Subpart C  Prohibited Activities
(3) Soliciting, accepting, or receiving uncompensated individual volunteer services from a subordinate for any political purpose. Example 1: An employee who signs a letter seeking uncompensated volunteer services from individuals may not identify himself or herself by using his or her official title. However, the employee may use a general form of address, such as The Honorable.
§ 734.303 Fundraising. An employee may not knowingly:
(a) Personally solicit, accept or receive a political contribution from another person, except under the circumstances specified in § 734.208(b);
§ 734.304 Candidacy for public office. An employee may not run for the nomination or as a candidate for election to partisan political office, except as specified in § 734.207.
(a) An employee may not knowingly solicit or discourage the participation in any political activity of any person
[[Page 39]] who has an application for any compensation grant, contract, ruling, license, permit, or certificate pending before the employee's employing office.
(4) While using a Government-owned or leased vehicle or while using a privately-owned vehicle in the discharge of official duties. (b) The prohibitions in paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to employees covered under subpart E of this part.
Example 18: An employee who contributes financially to a political action committee through a voluntary allotment made under § 550.311(b) of this title may not complete the direct deposit forms while he or she is on duty, in a room or building defined in § 734.101 or in a Federally owned or leased vehicle.
§ 734.307 Campaigning for a spouse or family member. An employee covered under this subpart who is the spouse or family member of either a candidate for partisan political office, candidate for political party office, or candidate for public office in a nonpartisan election, is subject to the same prohibitions as other employees covered under this subpart.
Example 3: An employee who is married to a candidate for political partisan political office may appear with her spouse in a political advertisement or a broadcast, and urge others to vote for her spouse, as long as the employee does not personally solicit political contributions.[59 FR 48769, Sept. 23, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 35101, July 5, 1996] [Code of Federal Regulations]
 PART 734 POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES Subpart DEmployees in Certain Agencies and Positions
(5) The National Security Council;
(6) The National Security Agency;
(7) The Defense Intelligence Agency;
(8) The Merit Systems Protection Board;
(9) The Office of Special Counsel;
(10) The Office of Criminal Investigation of the Internal Revenue Service.
(11) The Office of Investigative Programs of the United States Customs Service;
(12) The Office of Law Enforcement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms;
(13) The Criminal Division of the Department of Justice;
(14) The Central Imagery Office;
(15) Career Senior Executive Service positions described in 5 U.S.C. 3132(a)(4);
(16) Administrative Law Judge positions described in 5 U.S.C. 5372;
(17) Contract Appeals Board Member positions described in 5 U.S.C. 5372a.
(c) All employees covered under this subpart are free to engage in political activity to the widest extent consistent with the restrictions imposed by law and this subpart.[59 FR 48769, Sept. 23, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 35101, July 5, 1996]
(b) Display a political picture, sign, sticker, badge, or button, as long as these items are displayed in accordance with the provisions of § 734.406;
Example 6: An employee, including a career SES employee, may wear a button with a partisan political theme when the employee is not on duty or at his or her place of work.[59 FR 48769, Sept. 23, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 35101, July 5, 1996] § 734.403 Participation in elections. Each employee covered under this subpart retains the right to:
(4) Make a financial contribution to a political party, partisan political group, or to the campaign committee of a candidate for partisan political office. (b) Subject to the provisions in § 734.406, an employee covered under this subpart may make a financial contribution to a political action committee through a voluntary allotment made under § 550.311(b) of this chapter if the head of the employee's agency permits agency employees to make such allotments to political action committees.
(c) An employee who is covered under this subpart and is a payroll official in an agency where employees are permitted to make allotments to political action committees may process the completed direct deposit forms for voluntary allotments which have been made to such committees under § 550.311(b) of this chapter.
Example 3: An employee who desires to contribute to a political action committee through an allotment personally may obtain blank direct deposit forms from his or her payroll office. The employee may not complete the direct deposit form while he or she is on duty, on Federal property, or in a Federally owned or leased vehicle. The employee also may not personally deliver his or her completed direct deposit form, or the completed direct deposit form of another employee, to his or her payroll office. However, the employee may mail the completed form to his or her agency payroll office.[61 FR 35101, July 5, 1996 § 734.405 Campaigning for a spouse or family member.
Example 2: An employee who is the daughter of a candidate for partisan political office may appear in a family photograph which is printed in a campaign flier, but she may not distribute the flier at a campaign rally. § 734.406 Participation in political activities while on duty, in uniform, in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties, or using a Federal vehicle; prohibition. (a) An employee covered under this subpart may not participate in political activities:
(4) While using a Government-owned or leased vehicle or while using a privately owned vehicle in the discharge of official duties. (b) [Reserved]
Example 7: An employee who contributes financially to a political action committee through a voluntary allotment made under § 550.311(b) of this title may not complete the direct deposit forms while he or she is on duty, in a room or building defined in § 734.101, or in a Federally owned or leased vehicle.
Example 8: An employee who contributes financially to a political action committee may not personally deliver his or her completed direct deposit form, or the completed direct deposit form of another employee, to the payroll employees who would process or administer such forms. However, the employee may mail his or her direct deposit form to his or her agency payroll office.[59 FR 48769, Sept. 23, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 35102, July 5, 1996 § 734.407 Use of official authority; prohibition.
An employee covered under this subpart may not use his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election § 734.408 Participation in political management and political campaigning; prohibitions.
§ 734.410 Participation in political fundraising; prohibitions. An employee covered under this subpart may not:
§ 734.411 Participation in political campaigning; prohibitions. An employee covered under this subpart may not:
§ 734.412 Participation in elections; prohibitions. An employee covered under this subpart may not:
(c) Drive voters to polling places in concert with a political party, partisan political group, or a candidate for partisan political office.[59 FR 48769, Sept. 23, 1994, as amended by 61 FR 35102, July 5, 1996]
§ 734.413 Employees of the Federal Election Commission; prohibitions. (a) An employee of the Federal Election Commission may not request or receive from, or give to, an employee, a Member of Congress, or an officer of a uniformed service a political contribution.
(b) This section does not cover employee of the Federal Election Commission who are appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. [Code of Federal Regulations]
 PART 734 POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES Subpart ESpecial Provisions for Certain Presidential Appointees and Employees Paid from the Appropriation for the Executive Office of the President
§ 734.502 Participation in political activity while on duty, in uniform, in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties, or using a Federal vehicle. (a) This section applies to an employee:
(2) Who is
(b) For the purposes of this subpart, normal duty hours and normal duty post will be determined by the head of each agency or instrumentality of the United States or District of Columbia Government.
Example 5: An American Ambassador overseas obtains authorization from the Department of State to depart post in order to take a vacation away from post. During the period she is authorized to be on vacation away from post, she is not considered to be on duty for the purpose of the Hatch Act Reform Amendments and may engage in any political activity permitted under the Hatch Act Reform Amendments of 1993.[59 FR 48769, Sept. 23, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 35102, July 5, 1996 § 734.503 Allocation and reimbursement of costs associated with political activities. (a) The costs associated with the political activities described in § 733.502(c) of this chapter may not be paid for by money derived from the Treasury of the United States. Costs associated with a political activity are deemed not to be paid for by money derived from the Treasury of the United States if the Treasury is reimbursed for the costs within a reasonable period of time.
(1) The compensation of the employee described in § 734.502(a);
(4) The cost of special security arrangements for the person engaging in the political activity, including special transportation vehicles or methods. (c)
(1) An employee covered under this subpart must apportion the costs of mixed travel based on the time spent on political activities and the time spent performing official duties. Prorating the cost of travel involves determining the total activity time which is the amount of time actually spent by the employee in meetings, receptions, rallies, and similar activities. Time spent in actual travel, private study, or rest and recreation is not included in the computation of the total activity time. The proration of the cost then is determined based on how the total activity time was spent. The formula is as follows: Time spent in official meetings, receptions, etc. + Time spent in political meetings, receptions, rallies = Total activity timeTime spent in official activity divided by Total activity time = Percentage of trip that is official Time spent in political activity divided by Total activity time = Percentage of trip that is politicalThe percentage figure that represents the political portion of the trip is then multiplied by the amount that would be reimbursed to the Government if all of the travel was political. The product of that calculation represents the amount to be paid by the political entity or organization.
(3) Expenses that are associated specifically with a political activity and [[Page 46]]
not with any official activity must be treated as political, and expenses associated specifically with an official activity and not with any political activity must be treated as official.
§ 734.504 Contributions to political action committees through voluntary payroll allotments prohibited. An employee described in § 734.502(a) may not financially contribute to a political action committee through a voluntary allotment made under § 550.311(b) of this title.[61 FR 35102, July 5, 1996] [Code of Federal Regulations]
 PART 734 POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES Subpart FEmployees Who Work on An Irregular or Occasional Basis § 734.601 Employees who work on an irregular or occasional basis.
An employee who works on an irregular or occasional basis or is a special Government employee as defined in 18 U.S.C. 202(a) is subject to the provisions of the applicable subpart of this part when he or she is on duty. Example: An employee appointed to a special commission or task force who does not have a regular tour of duty may run as a partisan political candidate, but may actively campaign only when he or she is not on duty. [Code of Federal Regulations]
 PART 734 POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES Subpart GRelated Statutes and Executive Orders § 734.701 General.
§ 734.702 Related statutes and Executive orders. (a) The prohibition against offering anything of value in consideration of the use or promise of use of influence to procure appointive office (18 U.S.C. 210).
(o) The prohibition against making, requesting, considering, or accepting political recommendations (5 U.S.C. 3303).(p) The prohibitions against misuse of a Government vehicle (31 U.S.C. 1344).