Navy secretary breaks law with political statements about presidential race, watchdog says

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel says Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro broke the law by publicly endorsing the reelection of President Joe Biden and criticizing former President Donald Trump in several statements he made while on official duty overseas. The watchdog agency says Del Toro's remarks came in a BBC interview and when he was responding to questions after a speech in London. Del Toro said the U.S. needs Biden's mature leadership and that Trump's democratic principles are “suspicious.” His lawyer says the remarks were spontaneous and should not be considered a violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits U.S. officials from engaging in political activity while they are on duty.