‘Unlike the Last Administration, We Do Care About the Hatch Act’: Karine Jean-Pierre Takes a Dig at Trump

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre took a swipe at the Trump administration on Tuesday during a live hit on MSNBC’s The ReidOut.

Joy Reid began the interview by pointing to remarks made by President Joe Biden earlier in the day in which he urged voters to elect more Democrats to Congress in order to codify a federal right to abortion.

“We’re only 22 days away from the most consequential moment in our history in my view, in recent history at least — an election where the choice and the stakes are crystal clear, especially when it comes to the right to choose,” Biden said.

“I wonder how the White House is thinking about abortion in this election,” the MSNBC host said to Jean-Pierre, who joined the show from the White House grounds. “Is it seen as a motivator? Is it seen as something that frightens voters to the polls? And who is he targeting with that message of what the administration would do?”

Jean-Pierre responded with a word of caution about the Hatch Act – a 1939 law prohibiting certain political activity by members of the executive branch.

“I want to be really careful because of the Hatch Act,” she replied. “I can’t speak to elections. I can’t speak to politics from here, especially standing in front of the White House. But what I will say is – and the president has been very clear – you heard him speak directly to the American people. You’ve heard him say pretty much the same message every time he’s talked about this issue, which is Americans need to make their voices heard.”

After Jean-Pierre wrapped up her answer, Reid commended her for invoking the Hatch Act, which the U.S. Office of Special Counsel found was frequently violated by the Trump administration.

“It’s so weird when like, a White House official cares about the Hatch Act,” Reid responded. “We had four years where nobody cared about that.”

“We care,” said Jean-Pierre. “Unlike the last administration, we do care about the Hatch Act here.”

Watch above via MSNBC.

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