Rick Hasen must not know the difference between being fired and resigning.  His election law blog incorrectly makes the FEC look as if it took stronger action against ex-FEC lawyer April Sands for partisan political activity than it really did.  His headline blasts:

Office of Special Counsel Release on Fired FEC Employee Engaged in Partisan Political Activity

Fired?  It would have been nice if the FEC took such strong action.  It would have demonstrated a welcome intolerance for any partisan behavior by FEC employees on the job.  But contrary to what Hasen says, it didn’t happen.  From the OSC doc.

FEC Attorney Resigns… Under a settlement agreement with the OSC, an attorney with the FEC has agreed to resign….


Sands resigned. She wasn’t fired. There is a big difference – especially when possible future employers ask, “have you ever been fired?”  And given that the “settlement” apparently kept her identity secret, Sands could have gotten away with it.  The resignation, as compared with a firing, makes a difference.

I suppose it’s far worse not knowing the difference between a list serve and a blog. After all, that doesn’t involve how tolerant FEC and other government officials are toward illegal partisan conduct at the nation’s campaign regulator.