WASHINGTON (AP) — Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro broke the law by publicly endorsing President Joe Biden’s reelection and criticizing former President Donald Trump in several statements he made while on official duty abroad, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel said Thursday.
In a report to the White House, the watchdog said Del Toro’s comments about the presidential election came in a BBC interview and when he answered questions after a speech in London. Although he later reported the remarks, his unwillingness to take responsibility for them is troubling, the special counsel said.
The agency said Del Toro’s comments, which were made before Biden withdrew from the presidential race, violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits U.S. officials from engaging in political activities while on duty and from “using their official authority or influence to influence or affect the outcome of an election.”
“The United States and the world need the mature leadership of President Biden,” Del Toro said in response to a question after a speech at the Royal United Services Institute in late January. He added: “We cannot afford to have a president who associates himself with autocratic dictators and rulers whose interpretation of democratic principles is (at best) suspect.”
Later, during an interview on “BBC News Sunday,” Del Toro was asked about his comments on Trump’s democratic principles. Del Toro responded that Republican and Democratic presidents in the past have adhered to America’s core values and protected democracy.
“If you have someone who is not adhering to those core principles, you wonder, should you support that person?” he said.
Del Toro was asked, “You said he had a distrustful attitude toward democracy?” And the Navy Secretary replied, “Absolutely.”
A few days later, Del Toro himself reported the blunder to the special counsel, saying that his intention had been to focus on the importance of strong international alliances. But, he added, “In retrospect, I think my response should have been broader, without reference to specific candidates.”
In a separate written response to the watchdog’s findings, the secretary’s lawyer, Michael Bromwich, said Del Toro’s comments were “spontaneous and unprepared” and did not violate the Hatch Act. Bromwich said Del Toro responded to questions and did not mention Trump by name directly.
Special counsel Hampton Dellinger said in his report that Del Toro “crossed a legal line.” And he said the secretary’s “unwillingness to admit wrongdoing is striking” and troubling.
Dellinger said he appreciates Del Toro reporting the comments, “but that fact alone should not exonerate him.” Del Toro also issued his own directive to his Navy force, Dellinger said, noting that “it is more important than ever for us to remember that the DON (Department of the Navy) is a nonpolitical body. … The public’s trust and confidence depend on it.”
The findings came after two Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to the Pentagon’s top two leaders in August, urging them to ensure the military does not get involved in politics during the presidential election.
Career government employees who violate the Hatch Act can be fired, suspended or demoted and fined up to $1,000. Federal employees, however, rarely face penalties.
The Navy and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
