President Trump has been more than generous with his hateful attacks on his Democratic 2020 opponents — bashing them at every opportunity. But he may have committed a big no-no just three weeks ago when he launched an attack on one of his newest competitors, the mayor of his home state of New York, Bill de Blasio.
In what seems to be an attempt to give his assault on de Blasio an air of authority, Trump posted a video from behind his desk on Air Force One, bashing the Democratic 2020 hopeful for being soft on crime and quick on taxes.
.@BilldeBlasio is the worst Mayor in the history of New York City – he won’t last long! pic.twitter.com/NyYntsX573
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 16, 2019
At first glance, it looks like any other typical Trump attack. But an ethics watchdog spotted a huge issue with Trump’s video — namely the U.S. presidential seal that’s fixed above the window over Trump’s left shoulder.
A lawyer with the nonpartisan watchdog group, Â Citizens Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Virginia Canter, says that’s completely unacceptable.
Canter, who’s a former assistant White House Counsel said of the move, “It’s not appropriate to use the seal in this way. It sends the message that this is the official view of the U.S. government… not a political (attack).”
Canter explained that transgression was made that much worse because Trump was attempting to mimic his official White House setting in the video.
“It has the same import as him sitting behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office,” she stated, calling the move “offensive.”
Canter when on to make it clear that using the seal in such a manner is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail.
De Blasio fired back at Trump’s video saying that it showcased the weakness of “low energy” Trump.
Of course, while Trump’s campaign claims to stay within all legal requirements, this is far from the first time Trump and his cabinet officials have been accused of skirting the Hatch Act — a law that bans officials from campaigning in their official capacity.
Can we just add this to the ever-growing list of reasons to boot his ass out already?
Featured image via screen capture
