Officials: New York Sheriff Violated Hatch Act by Flying Trump Flag in Summer Boat Parade

Federal officials warned an upstate New York sheriff for violating the Hatch Act by flying a pro-Trump flag in a boat parade in Summer 2020.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) sent a warning letter to Oswego County Sheriff Don Hilton following an investigation into a complaint that the sheriff’s office flew a doctored American flag bearing former President Donald Trump’s image and the phrase “Making America Great” during an event on August 2, 2020, called the “Trump flotilla,” Syracuse.com reported.

Local newspapers published photos of Hilton and three uniformed deputies aboard a sheriff’s office patrol boat flying the pro-Trump flag.

The OSC has the ability to enforce the Hatch Act, a 1939 law that limits federal executive branch employees from partaking in political activities on the job but exempts the president and vice president.

Because Hilton has “duties in connection with federally-funded programs,” he is “covered by the Hatch Act,” according to the letter, which Oswego County News Now obtained.

“Because you used an official agency resource to promote a presidential candidate, thus giving the impression that the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office endorsed that candidate, OSC determined that you violated the Hatch Act’s prohibition against using your official authority to affect an election,” Erica S. Hamrick, a deputy chief in the OSC’s Hatch Act Unit, said in the letter to Hilton.

The letter concluded that, should Hilton violate the Hatch Act in the future, he would face “disciplinary action.”

The sheriff released a statement in August 2020 about the incident after dozens of residents complained at a county legislature meeting about the Trump flag.

Hilton said the patrol boat was providing security for the event when a participant gave officials the flag, and he personally gave them the green light to fly it on the boat.

“I did this to show support for the event participants and for our president, who has supported law enforcement at a time when many groups are unjustly vilifying our profession,” Hilton said. “To do so was my decision only, not my deputies’, and I take full and sole responsibility for it.”

Hilton added that his deputies are dedicated to enforcing the law on an impartial basis.