DHS Links ICE Arrest to Democrat Janelle Stelson's Campaign, Drawing Hatch Act Complaint

A DHS press release announcing the arrest of Chimaobim Adedayo Igbojekwe, a Nigerian national, for indecent exposure said he worked for Janelle Stelson, the Democrat challenging Rep. Scott Perry in Pennsylvania's 10th District. ICE deputy director Charles Wall called it "unbelievable" that Stelson would employ someone in the country illegally. The Stelson campaign said it had never heard of him and showed no payment records to him; DHS did not explain the claimed link, which traced to a news report quoting a conservative activist.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a Hatch Act complaint with the Office of Special Counsel on Oct. 8, alleging DHS used its official platform to influence a competitive midterm race. CREW's Donald Sherman said he had never seen an agency "go out of its way" to tie an unrelated arrest to a campaign.

The Office of Special Counsel had not ruled on the complaint as of early October. Igbojekwe pleaded guilty only to disorderly conduct in the underlying state case.