The political activity of government employees has been a concern of elected officials since the earliest days of the Republic. Thomas Jefferson, the nation's third President, was among the first to express concern about this issue.
In response to Jefferson's concern, the heads of the executive departments issued an order which stated that while it is "the right of any officer or federal employee to give his vote of others nor take any part in the business of electioneering, that being deemed inconsistent with the spirit of the Constitution.
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