FOIA REQUEST: Records Regarding Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona’s Partisan Email on SAVE
| Agency | Department of Education |
|---|---|
| Type | FOIA Request |
| Issue | Political AppointeesStudent Loan Debt Cancellation |
| Tracking | 100-6-24 |
| Date | Jul 25, 2024 |
In this email, Secretary Cardona excoriates “Republican elected officials,” painting them as siding only with “special interests” and engaging in partisan criticism concerning their role in obtaining preliminary injunctions concerning the SAVE program. The Hatch Act restricts the political activities of federal employees to ensure that government functions are administered in a nonpartisan manner. Secretary Cardona’s used his government email account, seal, and position to influence—just before, during, and after the GOP’s political convention—to dissuade student loan borrowers who are voters from voting for Republicans in the 2024 elections. By directly criticizing Republican officials and framing the Administration’s efforts in opposition to these officials, the email engages in political activity barred by the Hatch Act. Due to the blatant nature of the partisan political messaging used by Secretary Cardona from an official government email account and in an email bearing his official title and the Department’s seal, the public is entitled to a full accounting.
Request