Education Secretary Cardona Accused of Anti-Republican Bias in Official Email by Watchdog Group

By Matthew Holloway |

On Thursday, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), a non-partisan ethics watchdog, filed a complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel against Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. The complaint accuses Cardona of violating the Hatch Act of 1939 by allegedly sending a political email to federal student loan borrowers in his official capacity. The Hatch Act restricts federal employees’ political activities to prevent workplace coercion.

FACT’s press release stated that in July 2024, an email was sent to an estimated 43 million federal student loan borrowers. The email, using an official government address and Department of Education letterhead, was signed by Cardona. FACT emphasized, “This type of political advocacy from the government targeting citizens who interact with an agency is exactly the type of politicization the Hatch Act is designed to prevent.”

Kendra Arnold, Executive Director of FACT, commented, “Secretary Cardona appears to have made an overtly political pitch to student loan borrowers in an election year. This case goes far beyond a standard Hatch Act violation.”

Arnold added that the email used data on federal student loan borrowers to distribute a partisan message, potentially affecting 43 million people. FACT urged the Office of Special Counsel to investigate whether Cardona violated the Hatch Act and to determine the scope of the issue.

The email, as revealed by FACT, contained several explicitly political statements from Cardona. For instance, it criticized Republican elected officials for blocking Americans from accessing student loan repayment benefits and praised efforts by President Biden and Cardona to lower costs for borrowers.

FACT’s complaint outlined the Hatch Act violations: the email was a political communication sent in Cardona’s official capacity using taxpayer-funded resources. Arnold noted, “The email made political arguments and identified the political party by name, aiming to generate opposition to political candidates and the party.”

The Daily Mail reported that the modern interpretation of the Hatch Act prohibits federal officials from sending partisan political emails while on duty or in the workplace.

Arnold concluded, “This case goes far beyond making a political remark in an official capacity. Secretary Cardona used government data on student loan borrowers for political purposes, a severe breach of trust and a clear violation of the Hatch Act.”

Matthew Holloway is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.