Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, Violates the Hatch Act?

Obama's Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, urged his employees to attend Sharpton's rally...in email.

The Washington Examiner learned of the e-mail from a Department of Education employee who felt uncomfortable with Duncan's request.

"ED staff are invited to join Secretary Arne Duncan, the Reverend Al Sharpton, and other leaders on Saturday, Aug. 28, for the 'Reclaim the Dream' rally and march," began an internal e-mail sent to more than 4,000 employees of the Department of Education on Wednesday." writes Lisa Gartner of the Washington Examiner.

She goes on to write:
"Although the e-mail does not violate the Hatch Act, which forbids federal employees from participating in political campaigns..."

I think I have to disagree with her on this.

The act of using government computer and EMAIL is a violation of the Hatch ACT IF done so in endorsing a partisan political group also.
-at least by my understanding of the email portion of the Act...also "supervisory employees may not invite subordinate employees to political events or otherwise suggest to subordinates that they attend the political event or undertake any partisan political activity."

Certainly Sharpton was a partisan political figure, past and present, representing partisan rhetoric at his rally. Sharpton's comments prior to the rally made it very clear he had a bug up his bun, or a bee in his political bonnet, towards Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor Rally" held on the same day.

At Sharpton's rally he said that Republicans "think we showed up in 2008 and that we won't show up again. But we know how to sucker-punch, and we're coming out again in 2010."
Various speakers praised Obama and took pot shots at Tea Party people.

Sure sounds like a 'partisan political group' to me.

Education Department spokesperson, Sandra Abrevaya, stated the get out and participate email was promoting a "back to school" activity.
Right.
Now we've heard everthing.
This kind of end-round spin explanation just shows that they KNEW they were acting in violation, like a Yosi Sergant propaganda sneak play, and once again this administration chooses which laws it will, and will not, abide by.

An investigation would be nice -
...but if history is any indicator for democrats who break the law - a conviction would just get Duncan appointed or elected to some other office somewhere in the re-education plan.