House committee calls for probe into DHS chief’s participation in naturalization ceremony featured at RNC

Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee are requesting that the Office of Special Counsel investigate acting Secretary Chad Wolf’s participation in a naturalization ceremony that was broadcast Tuesday during the Republican National Convention.

Wolf administered the oath of allegiance to five people -- from Bolivia, Lebanon, India, Sudan and Ghana -- as President Trump looked on. It was used to tout Trump’s support for legal immigration.

TRUMP HIGHLIGHTS LEGAL IMMIGRATION, OVERSEES NATURALIZATION CEREMONY DURING RNC

"You followed the rules, you obeyed the laws, you learned our history, embraced our values, and proved yourselves to be men and women of the highest integrity," Trump said during the ceremony. "It's not so easy. You went through a lot. And we appreciate you being here with us today."

But Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson wrote to the Office of Special Counsel to request an investigation as to whether Wolf violated the Hatch Act -- a 1939 federal law that limits federal executive branch employees from engaging in political activities while on the job, but exempts the president and vice president from violations.

“This is an unprecedented politicization of the naturalization ceremony – an official function of the Department of Homeland Security,” Thompson wrote. “Mr. Wolf's participation appears to constitute engaging in political activity while acting in an official capacity.”

“It also sets a bad example for the Department’s 240,000 employees who are required to comply with the Hatch Act,” he said. “Accordingly, I urge you to investigate Mr. Wolf’s participation in this event to determine whether it violated the law.”

OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL SAYS IT WON'T BE 'GRANDSTANDING' ABOUT POTENTIAL RNC HATCH ACT VIOLATIONS

Democrats and government watchdogs have fumed over Trump’s decision to hold a number of RNC related events at the White House. Critics have also pointed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s speech from Jerusalem while on a trip to Israel.

The Office of Special Counsel, however, released a statement Wednesday saying the Justice Department is in charge of criminal provisions of the Hatch Act and the office will not be "grandstanding" about potential violations.

"OSC’s role does not include grandstanding or holding press conferences about potential violations that may or may not occur," Special Counsel Henry J. Kerner said in a statement. "Ultimately, officials and employees choose whether to comply with the law.  Once they make that choice, it is OSC’s statutory role to receive complaints, investigate alleged Hatch Act violations, and determine which ones warrant prosecution."

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Kerner added: "OSC holds officials and employees accountable when they don’t comply with the law. OSC takes its job seriously and in recent months has increased the number of Hatch Act Unit staff to respond to the growing number of complaints typically received during election years. OSC will continue to vigorously and even-handedly enforce the Hatch Act, consistent with its statutory authorities.”

Trump announced this week that he attends to formally nominate Wolf to the position he has held in an acting capacity since last year.

Fox News' Marisa Schultz and Megan Henney contributed to this report.