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STEVE BOUSQUETThe Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee says Mel Martinez may have unlawfully made political calls from his office.
TALLAHASSEE - Mel Martinez isn't a U.S. Senate candidate yet, but his phone calls to Florida Republicans are drawing heat from Democrats.
Martinez, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, may have violated the Hatch Act, a federal law banning political activity by federal employees, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said.
The committee called on Martinez to release government phone logs and e-mail and said it will file a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain the records.
"It is entirely likely that these calls were made on government phones or at a minimum from government offices, either of which is a possible violation of the Hatch Act," said Brad Woodhouse of the DSCC. "Secretary Martinez should release his phone records to simply clear this matter up."
Woodhouse said the request was based on newspaper reports detailing Martinez's activities.
A HUD spokeswoman, Kelley Keeler, said the agency does not comment on Freedom of Information Act requests.
Former Secretary of State Jim Smith and former House Speaker John Thrasher were among those who earlier this week said they spoke by phone with Martinez about his interest in seeking the seat held by Democrat Bob Graham.
"He called me Monday. It's not a secret," said Thrasher, a lobbyist who has been a friend of Martinez's since their days at Florida State University law school in the early 1970s. "He didn't say he was (running), but I think some things are moving in that direction," Thrasher said.
The Hatch Act bars federal employees from partisan political activity while on duty. The U.S. Office of Public Counsel, in a 2001 opinion, said the ban pertains "not merely the formal announcement of candidacy, but also to the preliminaries leading to such announcement."
At his alma mater Friday, where he joined in FSU's acceptance of a $100,000 gift from the Federal Home Loan Bank for housing, Martinez deflected questions about his plans.
"I'm thinking about it. I'm looking at the possibility," Martinez said. "Time will tell. I don't have a timeline or a timetable on it."
When asked whether the White House was encouraging him to run, Martinez abruptly ended the news conference: "That's all I'm going to say."
Florida State president T.K. Wetherell alluded to Martinez's ambitions by introducing the Cabinet member as "Mr. Secretary or whatever." Martinez then said he hoped to be an FSU supporter as HUD secretary or "whatever shape my life may take in the future."
Martinez, 57, ran for Florida lieutenant governor in 1994 on a ticket headed by Ken Connor, a trial attorney and abortion opponent.