President Biden was reportedly warned last year to keep major donors out of the Oval Office because an exclusive tour of the office could violate federal law.
The warning came from the White House Counsel's Office, and although Biden, 81, has since stopped giving his benefactors access to the Oval Office, he has dined with them in a separate room in the executive mansion. We continue to play games and chat. According to Axios.
“Regardless of party affiliation, it is common for all presidents to welcome supporters to the White House complex, which is both the Oval Office and their private residence,” said White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates.
He added, “President Biden and his team take the White House and all redistricting rules seriously, and I'm proud of that.”
The Hatch Act, enacted in 1939, prohibits executive branch officials from exercising “official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or influencing the outcome of an election” or raising funds in a federal building. It is forbidden to do so.
However, the president and vice president are exempt from this law.
The newspaper said Biden has held about six private gatherings with groups of donors and supporters since his re-election campaign officially began last April. washington post.
The newspaper said the private lunches and dinners, organized by entertainment mogul and Biden campaign co-chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg, were intended to raise concerns about the president's re-election prospects amid concerns about his age and fitness. The purpose is to reassure them.
The White House Counsel's Office has limited gatherings to the White House Map Room, Old Family Dining Room, and Tennis Court Pavilion (areas that are not official work areas), and donors are encouraged to donate to the campaign during the 1600 Visit. Not wanted.Pennsylvania Avenue
At least four Biden administration officials have been found to have violated the Hatch Act since taking office, including White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and former chief of staff Ron Klain.
Thirteen officials, including former chief of staff Mark Meadows, were found to have violated ethics laws during former President Donald Trump's tenure in the White House.
