Democracy Defenders Fund asks for Hatch Act penalties over the FBI video, up to removal from federal service
Democracy Defenders FundWatchdog group, in a letter to three federal oversight offices
The Democracy Defenders Fund says the FBI's video has no place in a democratic society and asks the Office of Special Counsel to investigate and seek penalties, up to removal from federal employment, for any employee found to have violated the Hatch Act.
Responding to
The FBI's video is prohibited political activity under the Hatch Act because it advocates against the election of the candidates it names.
“The FBI’s promotional video has no place in a democratic society. We therefore request that the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) open an investigation into this matter and request that you seek appropriate penalties, including up to removal and debarment from federal employment, for employees deemed to have violated the Hatch Act.”
Original text
Where this statement fits
FBI posts, then deletes, a video calling Democrats the 'defund the police crowd'; watchdogs say it violated the Hatch Act
On October 6, 2026, the FBI's Rapid Response account on X posted a two-minute video that labeled Kamala Harris, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Cori Bush and Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed as part of the "defund the police crowd" and credited Director Kash Patel with a rise in violent crime arrests. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a Hatch Act complaint with the Office of Special Counsel that day, and the FBI later deleted the post. On October 15 the Democracy Defenders Fund asked three federal watchdogs to investigate the video and who approved it. The FBI did not respond to The Hill's request for comment.
Source and context
Original text
About this source
Ten-page letter to Special Counsel Charles Baldis, Justice Department Inspector General Don R. Berthiaume and Acting Comptroller General Orice W. Brown asking each office to investigate the video under the Hatch Act, appropriations limits on publicity and propaganda, and internal controls.
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The letter, addressed to the Special Counsel, the Justice Department's inspector general and the acting Comptroller General, calls the video an unprecedented use of FBI resources for partisan propaganda that appears to serve only to denigrate Democrats and glorify Patel, and says releasing it during early voting was a grave abuse of power.
After the quotation
The letter separately asks the Government Accountability Office to examine whether the video broke appropriations limits on publicity or propaganda, and asks the inspector general to find out who authorized it, what budget paid for it and whether contractors made it.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is the FBI's October 6, 2026, video and post naming Democratic officials and candidates as the "DEFUND THE POLICE crowd" while praising Director Kash Patel. The group calls the video partisan propaganda with no place in a democratic society and asks for investigations and penalties.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kash Patel
More from this case
Read the full caseCampaign Legal Center's Delaney Marsco says the FBI video is not compliant with the Hatch Act
“It shouldn’t shock anyone that this is not compliant with the Hatch Act.”Read statement
CREW calls the FBI video a clear violation of the Hatch Act and asks the Office of Special Counsel to investigate
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
“This is a clear violation of the Hatch Act. We just asked the OSC to investigate.”Read statement
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- Democracy Defenders Fund asks for Hatch Act penalties over the FBI video, up to removal from federal service
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The Dispute Index. "Democracy Defenders Fund asks for Hatch Act penalties over the FBI video, up to removal from federal service". First published: 2026-10-21. Last updated: 2026-10-21. https://disputeindex.com/events/6429-the-democracy-defenders-fund-says-the-fbi-s