Federal Hatch Act investigators have opened a complaint file on the Justice Department employee who was part of a mob that chased Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen from a restaurant earlier last month.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel, which polices employees who illegally engage in politicking as government employees, has assigned a case number and a lawyer to the complaint against Allison Hrabar.

Ms. Hrabar, a paralegal at the Justice Department, was part of a group from the Democratic Socialists of America that showed up at a Mexican restaurant to disrupt Ms. Nielsen’s meal. Their protest was filmed and posted online.

Ms. Hrabar told The Washington Examiner that her protest was done on her own time and didn’t reflect on her government work.

But The Daily Caller reported that her Twitter account showed she had tweeted political messages during normal work hours.

Ms. Hrabar didn’t respond to an emailed request for comment.

Ty Clevenger, an activist lawyer who lodged the OSC complaint, said she needed to face an investigation.

“If she wants to organize protests on her own time, that’s her business. If she wants to play politics on the taxpayer’s time, that’s my business,” Mr. Clevenger said.

The OSC said it couldn’t comment on complaints that may have been filed.

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.