October 24, 2024
Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) today asked the Biden administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Vice President Kamala Harris after a heated press event at the vice presidential official residence 13 days before Election Day. Mills charges that Harris broke federal rules when she used her official authority to attack Donald Trump politically, transgressing into criminal conduct.
Harris’ Press Conference and Misbehavior Allegations — The Newsroom Daily Inc.
It has come about because Harris made a three-minute speech at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., where the vice president’s official residence is located. Harris attacked Trump with vitriolic comparisons to Adolf Hitler, while making a claim that Trump wants “unchecked power”. Harris also mentioned Trump would seek individual allegiance from the US military and could use it to hound his political opponents.
“We know what Donald Trump wants. He wants unchecked power. The question, in thirteen days, will be what do the American people want?” Harris stated during the speech.
Mills says this speech, given in a government building and accompanied by the vice presidential seal, is an abuse of Harris’ legal power to decide the election. The Florida congressman demanded in writing that Attorney General Merrick Garland open an investigation into whether Harris broke federal law.
Rep. Mills’ Request to Attorney General Garland
The Hatch Act – which prohibits federal officials from using government money for political gain – does not extend to the president and vice president in civil litigation, Mills told Garland, but there are criminal provisions still in effect. He specifically invoked a provision of federal law that says no federal official or employee is allowed to abuse his or her official power in interfering with the nomination or election of a political candidate.
“As you are likely aware, earlier today Vice President Kamala Harris gave what was billed as a ‘press conference’ at the official VP residence. In the under three-minute speech VP Harris only made vicious political attacks on Republican Presidential Candidate and Former President, Donald J. Trump.”
Mills added that, even though the civil immunity under the Hatch Act spared the vice president, criminal penalties could still apply: “In Federal law, it is a crime for any federal officer or employee to ‘use his official authority for the purpose of interfering with, or affecting, the nomination or the election of any candidate for the office of President, Vice President…”
Mills closed the letter by asking the DOJ to quickly investigate the case since the election was so close, and demand that they take responsibility.
Potential Legal and Ethical Concerns
Harris is not subject to the civil provisions of the Hatch Act, but Mills’ accusation makes us wonder if her speech veered into the criminal zone when she used official government funds to disparage a political opponent. It is illegal under federal law to use official office to meddle in elections, and Mills believes that Harris’ press conference was a patent violation of that law.
The letter also cited Garland’s previous direction to DOJ nominees, which stated that there is no role in official employment where one is permitted to engage in campaigning of any kind. Mills also argued that Harris’ speech in the press conference had to be questioned under these circumstances.
Broader Implications
And the DOJ investigation of Harris comes just as the 2024 presidential election is on the horizon. Vice President Harris has not publicly responded to Mills’ charges, but if it happens it could heighten political tensions as both parties start building their bases heading into Election Day. And the accusations bring to the fore the very problem of how government resources get used for politics, which haunts contemporary US politics.
As the DOJ responds to Mills’ request, the outcome of this potential investigation could have ramifications for the Biden-Harris administration and 2024 as a whole.
