Trump’s social media director Dan Scavino Jr. breaches federal law

The Office of Special Counsel found Dan Scavino, the social media director of the White House, violated federal law. The former personal caddie of U.S President Donald Trump engaged in political activity by tweeting on April 1.

In his tweet, Scavino called Republican Michigan Rep. Justin Amash a liability for Michigan jobs. He called on political allies of the president to defeat Amash in a primary.

The OSC issued a letter, dated June 5, to Scavino as a warning for breaching the Hatch Act.

Longtime Trump supporter

It appears that Scavino has similar tweeting habits as his boss whom presidential advisers admit creates political headaches in Washington because of his tweets which often are incendiary and impulsive. Scavino is a longtime supporter of Trump who was the billionaire’s personal caddie in the 1990s but eventually became a campaign and social media expert, The New York Daily News reported.

The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a left-leaning ethics group, filed a complaint with the OCS about Scavino’s tweet regarding Amash.

Ana Galindo-Marrone, the Hatch Act unit chief of the OSC, said that the former caddie was advised that if in the future he again engages in banned political activity while employed in a position covered by the Act, the activity will be considered a willful and knowing violation of the law.

The tweet from Scavino’s account showed his photo in the Oval Office. Even if he used his personal account, it still breaches the law since he represents a government office.

Health care reform

Scavino’s tweet was because Amash belongs to the conservative House Freedom Caucus. The group helped beat back an early version of a health care reform bill that was one of Trump’s top priorities. Amash replied to Scavino’s tweet by challenging the former caddie to bring on the electoral challenge.

Amash said he will always stand for liberty, the Constitution, and Americans of every background. His tweet included a link to a campaign fund-raising website run by the congressman from Michigan. The New York Times noted it could be a possible violation also of the 78-year-old Hatch Act.

Scavino is the second White House official in the Trump administration who was reprimanded for breaching federal law. The first was senior adviser Kellyanne Conway who was chastised in February by the Office of Government Ethics. Conway urged the public to purchase fashion items sold by an Ivanka Trump brand.