Former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Laurie Magid violated the Hatch Act when she held fundraisers at her home for Sen. Arlen Specter in January 2008 and for U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan the following year, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel said in a complaint this week.
OSC filed a complaint for disciplinary action with the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board against Magid, who is now an assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, reports the Daily Times. A OSC press release did not name Magid, but Politico has posted a copy of the compliant.
Josh Gerstein reports:
The complaint claims Magid improperly invited subordinates to the fundraisers and used official e-mail to ask office staff to produce lists of lawyers who formerly worked in the office. According to the allegations, Magid took a hand-delivered contribution in her office for the Specter event and received a donation on her office chair for the Meehan fund-raiser.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia had no comment.
Magid replaced Meehan when he resigned in July 2008 to pursue a run for governor (he later decided to run for Congress). Magid’s husband reportedly decided to host a fundraiser for Meehan, for which OSC alleged Magid did not seek advice.
“It is my understanding that prior to the fundraiser back in early 2009, Laurie Magid received guidance from the very office that is now stating her actions were improper,” said Meehan (R) in an e-mailed statement. “I know Laurie to be a genuine and honest person, and this is an unfortunate situation.”
The complaint alleges that approximately 18 of Magid’s subordinates received the invitations to Meehan’s fundraiser at their U.S. Attorney’s Office address, reports the Daily TImes.
[Ed. note: this story has been updated to include a no comment from the U.S. Attorney’s office.]
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