HHS Secretary Just Can't Seem To Follow The Law....

It appears Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius may have violated federal law once again in the performance of her official duties.

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) has suggested that Sebelius may have broken the law by seeking donations from health industry officials to help promote the implementation of Obamacare.

"Secretary Sebelius’s fundraising for and coordinating with private entities helping to implement the new health care law may be illegal, should cease immediately and should be fully investigated by Congress," Alexander said. "Such private fundraising circumvents the constitutional requirement that only Congress may appropriate funds."

Said criticism follows a Washington Post report detailing Sebelius’ appeals to insurance companies. The Post reported:

“Over the past three months, Sebelius has made multiple phone calls to health industry executives, community organizations and church groups and asked that they contribute whatever they can to nonprofit groups that are working to enroll uninsured Americans and increase awareness of the law, according to an HHS official and an industry person familiar with the secretary’s activities. Both spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk openly about private discussions.  Many of Sebelius’s calls have gone to current supporters of Enroll America, the most prominent nonprofit group working on the health care law’s implementation, an HHS official said.”

If, in fact, Sebelius’s actions are illegal it will be the second time she has been accused of violating federal law while working in her official capacity.

In February of 2012, Sebelius violated federal law by using her Cabinet position to campaign for President Obama, federal investigators said last year.

The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) said Sebelius violated federal law in a February speech where she made "extemporaneous partisan remarks."

Sebelius voiced her support for President Obama and other Democrats during an speech at a Human Rights Campaign event in Charlotte, N.C., in direct violation of the Hatch Act.  The Hatch Act prohibits public officials from campaigning in their official capacities.  Sebelius strayed from her prepared remarks to rally support for Obama.

Not surprisingly, after the OSC cited Sebelius for violating the Hatch Act, her office reclassified the trip from “official” to “political” and she repaid the government for her expenses.  She then wrote a letter to the OSC saying they were pushing a “minor incident” too far. 

"I believe that you should have concluded that any violation was corrected when the event was reclassified as political," she wrote. "I believe that you should have concluded that the consequence of my going 'off script' at an official event was to change the nature of my appearance for cost reimbursement purposes only."

So apparently when you’re on “Team Obama”, if you break the law you simply reclassify your actions and all is forgiven.  After all - they're just minor little laws.  Must be nice to be in Obama’s cabinet….

The final disposition of the incident was left to the President so we all know what happened from there – nothing.  Sebelius is still the HHS Secretary and is still seemingly violating the law.  Maybe this time something will be done….?

Nah.