The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has filed two complaints with the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) alleging that Sheriff David Rosado and Undersheriff Christopher Pascal of the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office in Virginia committed multiple, serious violations of the Hatch Act during Rosado's 2025 campaign for sheriff.
The Hatch Act prohibits certain state and local officers and employees from using their official authority to influence elections or coerce political contributions. One of the main purposes of the Hatch Act is to allow government employees to work in an environment that is free of political coercion and intimidation.
OSC's investigation found that Sheriff Rosado and Undersheriff Pascal repeatedly used Sheriff's Office personnel, resources, and events to advance Rosado's candidacy. Among the most egregious violations:
- Solicitation of Political Contributions: Both officials directly solicited monetary contributions from subordinate Sheriff's Office employees, including confronting an employee about a $500 contribution and asking employees about the status of donations.
- Coercive Fundraising Practices and Use of Staff for Campaign Events: Sheriff's Office supervisors were assigned quotas to sell tickets for campaign fundraisers and were expected to personally contribute the equivalent value of tickets that they did not sell. Employees were directed to organize, staff, and clean-up at fundraisers and other campaign events. Employees were tasked with canvassing neighborhoods, placing campaign signs, and working polling sites during both the primary and general elections.
- Political Pressure and Retaliation Concerns: Sheriff's Office employees were encouraged to engage in campaign-related social media activity and attend political party meetings. Employees reported fear of retaliation for insufficient support of Rosado's campaign.
- Misuse of Official Events for Campaigning: Rosado and Pascal organized official events that were publicly promoted as staff recognition or community events but were used to distribute campaign materials, display campaign signage, and solicit support from employees. These events were funded in part by Rosado's campaign committee and Sheriff's Office vendors.
“These complaints identify a sustained and coordinated effort to leverage public resources and personnel for political gain," said Charles Baldis, Senior Counsel at OSC. “The Hatch Act exists to preserve the integrity of government institutions, and a public official coercing his subordinate employees to support his campaign is one of the most egregious violations anyone can commit."
OSC is an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency that enforces the Hatch Act, which restricts the partisan political activity of government employees, including state and local employees who have duties in connection with federally funded activities. The MSPB is an independent, quasi-judicial agency that has original jurisdiction over Hatch Act disciplinary action complaints filed by OSC.