Press

PRESS

September 04, 2009

Office of Special Counsel Responds to CREW Complaint Against NJ GOV. Candidate Chris Christie

Requests for Investigation, Ethics, States, New Jersey, Governors, Chris Christie

Washington, D.C. - Erica S. Hamrick, Deputy Chief of the Hatch Act Unit of the OSC, advised CREW that OSC will not investigate CREW’s allegation that Mr. Christie violated the Hatch Act because no meaningful disciplinary action could be taken against him. When OSC finds a presidential appointee has violated the Hatch Act, its only recourse is to recommend the President of the United States take disciplinary action against that appointee.

CREW had alleged Mr. Christie violated the Hatch Act by consulting with Karl Rove about a gubernatorial run while a sitting U.S. Attorney. Although OSC declined to take action, Ms. Hamrick did note that the allegations against Mr. Christie “ordinarily would trigger an investigation by OSC and, if the facts warranted, a recommendation to the President of the United States for appropriate action.”

CREW's Executive Director, Melanie Sloan, stated, “Despite Mr. Christie’s claim that his conversations with Karl Rove were permissible, the Office of Special Counsel’s letter clearly indicates that were he still the U.S. Attorney, he would be under investigation for such conduct.”

Read CREW's letter to the OSC here and the OSC's response to CREW here.