WASHINGTON (AP) – Legal experts said Wednesday that Housing Secretary Ben Carson likely did not violate federal law when he appeared with President Donald Trump at a campaign rally.
After the appearance Tuesday night, questions were raised on Twitter about whether Carson had violated the federal law known as the Hatch Act, which bars most executive branch officials from using their government positions to influence elections.
Kathleen Clark, an attorney and law professor at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, says Carson isn’t prohibited from speaking at a campaign event, but Hatch would bar him from invoking or using his official position to engage in partisan political activity.
Housing and Urban Development spokesman Jerry Brown said the agency doesn’t think Carson did anything wrong.
“His travel and lodging were not paid for by the department. He was there in his personal capacity. He didn’t discuss HUD during the speech.”