The agency concluded that Scavino, one of Trump's most trusted aides, violated the Hatch Act, which bars most executive branch officials from using their government positions to influence elections.
The decision came in response to a complaint from the good-government group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington over a tweet from Scavino calling for the defeat of Rep. Justin Amash in a GOP primary.
"@realDonaldTrump is bringing auto plants & jobs back to Michigan. @justinamash is a big liability," Scavino wrote on April 1. "#TrumpTrain, defeat him in primary."
Scavino's Twitter account at the time featured photos of him standing in the Oval Office and of Trump delivering a speech behind a lectern with the presidential seal, CREW complained.
"The rules are clear that government officials aren't allowed to use their position for campaign activity," executive director Noah Bookbinder said in a statement. "In these overly politicized times, the separation of official and campaign business is absolutely vital in keeping partisan politics out of government business."
