Social Security email praising Trump, sent days before midterms, draws Hatch Act questions
The Social Security Administration emailed people with online accounts a message from Commissioner Frank Bisignano praising President Trump. Legal experts say it may breach the Hatch Act; no ruling or investigation has been reported.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2The Social Security Administration (SSA) sent emails on Friday and Saturday (October 30 and 31) to people with online Social Security accounts, days before the midterm elections. Raw StoryL “The email went out Friday and Saturday under the name of Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano” Read at Raw Story ↗ NewsweekN “The October 30 and 31 email was sent under Bisignano's name” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2The message, under Commissioner Frank Bisignano's name, said: "Under President Donald J. Trump, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is transforming into a model of excellence, one that meets and exceeds customer expectations for fast, accurate and secure service." Raw StoryL “"Under President Donald J. Trump, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is transforming into a model of excellence” Read at Raw Story ↗ NewsweekN “Bisignano said in the email.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Legal experts told The New York Times that the praise and its timing appeared to potentially violate the Hatch Act, the 1939 law meant to stop executive branch employees from using their positions to influence partisan elections. Raw StoryL “Several legal experts told the Times that the email’s praise of Trump and its timing appeared to potentially violate the Hatch Act.” Read at Raw Story ↗ NewsweekN “The Hatch Act, enacted in 1939, restricts federal employees from engaging in certain political activities in their official capacity” Read at Newsweek ↗
Mixed · 2Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis, said the email seemed to function as "propaganda" rather than a public service announcement. Raw StoryL “said the email seemed to function as “propaganda” rather than as a public service announcement.” Read at Raw Story ↗ NewsweekN “the emails appeared to function as "propaganda" rather than public-service announcements.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Richard Painter, a University of Minnesota law professor and former White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, said "They're doing it just before the election to persuade people that President Trump is doing a good job," and called the email inappropriate. NewsweekN “Richard W. Painter, University of Minnesota law professor who previously served as White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush” Read at Newsweek ↗ Raw StoryL “Painter added that he thought the email was inappropriate.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Left · 1Clark said the message reminded her of a television ad campaign the Trump administration ran this fall promoting his presidency, which some experts also said could have violated the Hatch Act. Raw StoryL “Clark said the message reminded her of a television ad campaign the Trump administration ran this fall promoting his presidency.” Read at Raw Story ↗
Centre · 1Newsweek reported that Bisignano also serves as chief executive of the IRS, and that a separate IRS email under his name praised Trump's tax law, the Working Families Tax Cuts; that email carried a disclaimer saying the agency does not generally email taxpayers. NewsweekN “Bisignano is simultaneously serving as SSA commissioner and chief executive of the IRS. A separate IRS email also praised Trump's economic policies.”“does not generally send e-mails to taxpayers” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1In July, Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden, Tammy Baldwin, Ben Ray Luján and Sheldon Whitehouse challenged Bisignano over an earlier SSA email, sent July 2, that referenced Trump six times; they called it a partisan message containing misleading statements. NewsweekN “That email was sent July 2 and referenced Trump six times, according to the senators.”“a partisan, politicized message — containing multiple misleading statements — that heaped praise on President Trump” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Newsweek noted there has been no official ruling that Bisignano or the SSA violated the law, that whether a communication breaks the Hatch Act depends on circumstances, and that it is unclear whether a formal complaint or investigation will follow. NewsweekN “there has been no official ruling that Bisignano or SSA violated the law over this message.”“The most significant unanswered question is whether the latest message will result in a formal Hatch Act complaint or investigation.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Mixed · 2The SSA did not immediately respond to the Times' request for comment, and Newsweek said it had also asked the agency for comment. Raw StoryL “The Social Security Administration did not immediately respond to the Times’ request for comment.” Read at Raw Story ↗ NewsweekN “Newsweek reached out to the SSA for comment via email.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Short summary of the New York Times report, led by experts' alarm that the email may be illegal.
- Emphasis
- Expert criticism and the timing before the election.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the IRS email, the July senators' challenge, or that no ruling exists.
- Charged language
- “Trump love letter”“sound alarm”
- For example
-
“Experts sound alarm as Social Security sends users possibly illegal Trump love letter” — Raw Story
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Explanatory report that the SSA is 'under scrutiny', adding context on past complaints and Hatch Act enforcement.
- Emphasis
- Background: the July senators' letter, the IRS email, nine Cabinet secretaries accused of Hatch Act violations, and the absence of any ruling.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report any SSA response.
- Charged language
- “under scrutiny”
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- SSA emailed people with online accounts on Friday and Saturday under Commissioner Frank Bisignano's name, praising Trump.
- Legal experts, speaking to The New York Times, said the email may violate the Hatch Act.
- Kathleen Clark called it 'propaganda' and Richard Painter said it was meant to persuade voters before the election.
- The SSA had not publicly responded in the coverage.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether the email broke the law
- Left
- Says experts think it 'may have run afoul of federal law' and calls it a possibly illegal 'love letter'.
- Centre
- Says experts raise the question but stresses there is no official ruling and that the outcome depends on circumstances.
Social Security Administration organisation
Had not responded to requests for comment in the coverage; the email itself describes the agency as a 'model of excellence' under Trump.
“The Social Security Administration did not immediately respond to the Times’ request for comment.” — Raw Story
Frank Bisignano person
Signed the email crediting Trump with improving the agency; also signed an IRS email praising Trump's tax law. Previously challenged by Democratic senators over a similar July email.
“Bisignano is simultaneously serving as SSA commissioner and chief executive of the IRS.” — Newsweek
Donald Trump person
Praised by name in the email; no comment from him is reported. Experts compared the email to an administration TV ad campaign promoting his presidency.
“Clark said the message reminded her of a television ad campaign the Trump administration ran this fall promoting his presidency.” — Raw Story
Left1 article
-
Experts sound alarm as Social Security sends users possibly illegal Trump love letter
Alarmist Presents the email as a possibly illegal pro-Trump message, relying on experts quoted by the NYT.
Centre1 article
-
Social Security Email Praising Trump Days Before Midterm Under Scrutiny
Neutral Reports the scrutiny with background and notes no official finding of a violation.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 1 Nov 18:09 First Raw StoryL Experts sound alarm as Social Security sends users possibly illegal Trump love letter
- 2 Nov 21:22 +27h 13m NewsweekN Social Security Email Praising Trump Days Before Midterm Under Scrutiny
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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