Donald Trump is once again trampling on long-established norms that we have come to expect from a traditional presidency.
On Tuesday, the Washington Post reported that Trump and convention planners were planning to use the South Lawn of the White House for the acceptance speech later this month. Asked about the report during an interview on Fox and Friends Wednesday, Trump said:
“Well, we are thinking about it. It would be easiest from the standpoint of security. We are thinking about doing it from the White House because there’s no movement. It’s easy, and I think it’s a beautiful setting and we are thinking about that. It’s certainly one of the alternatives. It’s the easiest alternative, I think it’s a beautiful alternative.”
But, ethics experts say the move violates the Hatch Act which forbids the use of government property and employees for political activities with some exceptions.
Any government employee who takes part in such an event at the White House would violate the Hatch Act and could be fired. But, enforcement would fall to one person, that person is Donald Trump.
