HATCH ACT OF 1939

FOR PREVENTION OF DISRUPTION OF USA INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency. Our basic authorities come from four federal statutes: the Civil Service Reform Act, THE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION ACT, the Hatch Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

http://www.osc.gov
The Hatch Act of 1939 is a United States federal law whose main provision is to prohibit employees (civil servants) in the executive branch of the federal government, except the President and the Vice President, from engaging in partisan political activity. Named after Senator Carl Hatch of New Mexico, the law was officially known as An Act to Prevent Pernicious Political Activities. The act precluded federal employees from membership in "any political organization which advocates the overthrow of our constitutional form of government," which especially applied to fascist and communist organizations. Agencies and employees prohibited from engaging in partisan political activity 1. 2. 3. 4. Administrative law judges (positions described at 5 U.S.C. 5372) Central Intelligence Agency Contract Appeals Boards (positions described at 5 U.S.C. 5372a) Criminal Division (Department of Justice)

5. Defense Intelligence Agency 6. Federal Bureau of Investigation 7. Federal Elections Commission 8. Merit Systems Protection Board 9. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency 10. National Security Agency 11. National Security Council 12. Office of Criminal Investigation (Internal Revenue Service) 13. Office of Investigative Programs (Customs Service) 14. Office of Law Enforcement (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) 15. United States Office of Special Counsel 16. Secret Service 17. Senior Executive Service (career positions described at 5 U.S.C. 3132(a)(4))