During the government shutdown, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced criticism for distributing a taxpayer-funded video blaming Democrats, which some airports declined to air. Public Citizen filed a Hatch Act complaint, alleging the video and other government communications violated ethics laws prohibiting the use of government resources for partisan purposes. Ethics experts believe the administration’s actions demonstrate a disregard for ethical norms, and note that enforcement is difficult as agencies are dominated by Trump loyalists. While the administration claims it is simply sharing the truth, experts believe the administration’s disregard for ethical norms has resulted in personal profit and constitutional issues.
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Amidst the government shutdown, a controversial video featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the shutdown is causing a stir. Denver International Airport, along with many other major airports, has refused to play the video at security checkpoints due to its partisan nature. Rep. Lauren Boebert criticized DIA’s decision, demanding action from the Department of Transportation, however, a spokesperson from DIA stated that the airport did not have the capability to play the video. Experts have noted that the video appears to violate the Hatch Act, which prohibits executive branch employees from using government resources for partisan political activities.
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Several airports are rejecting a video message from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democrats for the federal government shutdown due to its partisan content. The video, intended for display in airport security lines, accuses Democrats of refusing to fund the government and suggests that TSA operations have been impacted. Airport officials are citing concerns about the Hatch Act and state laws prohibiting the use of public assets for political purposes. Despite the rejections, the Department of Homeland Security maintains that security operations remain largely unaffected.
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Several U.S. airports are declining to play a video message from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democrats for the federal government shutdown. Airport officials cited the Hatch Act and state laws prohibiting the use of public resources for political purposes as reasons for their decisions. The video, obtained by Fox News, aimed to inform travelers about potential impacts on TSA operations and employees working without pay due to the shutdown. Airports like Portland International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Westchester County are among those refusing to air the message, citing its political nature.
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The Trump administration’s decision to air a video at airports across the country, blaming Democrats for the government shutdown, is a stark example of how political messaging can be deployed, even during times of national crisis. The fact that the video was broadcast in airports, spaces where travelers are already stressed and potentially vulnerable, raises questions about the appropriateness and ethical implications of such actions. The content of the video, specifically its direct finger-pointing at the opposing party, appears to be a clear attempt to shift blame and shape public perception, rather than offering solutions or fostering bipartisan cooperation.
The timing of this video’s release, during a government shutdown that impacted essential services like air travel, adds another layer of complexity.… Continue reading
Federal workers’ union sues administration over partisan email language. This is, without a doubt, a story that screams legal trouble, even before we get into the specifics. Imagine your employer taking control of your out-of-office message, injecting politically charged statements that you never authorized. This is not just a matter of bad form; it’s a potential violation of the law, and the legal eagles are circling.
Federal workers’ union sues administration over partisan email language. Now, let’s break down exactly what happened. During a government shutdown, some furloughed employees set up automated “out of office” replies. Then, and this is where the story gets truly eyebrow-raising, those messages were deleted and replaced with ones that blamed “radical left Democrats” for the shutdown.… Continue reading
Education Department employees returning from furlough discovered their out-of-office email messages had been altered to include partisan language blaming Democrats for the government shutdown. Several civil servants reported that their pre-approved, nonpartisan messages were replaced with accusatory statements without their consent, and some had the changes revert back even after they corrected them. The altered messages, presented in the first person, stated that the employee was unable to respond due to the actions of Senate Democrats. This action by the Education Department appears to cross a line, pulling civil servants into partisan political statements, with one official defending the messaging by saying, “Where’s the lie?”
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During the government shutdown, Education Department employees on furlough discovered their out-of-office email replies had been altered to include partisan messages blaming Democrats. These messages, which employees did not authorize, were changed from the initially provided nonpartisan templates, and in some cases reverted to the altered version even after employees attempted to change them back. The altered messages included language that attributed the shutdown to the Democrats’ refusal to pass a clean continuing resolution. This action has raised ethical and legal concerns among the employees, who believe it violates the Hatch Act, which restricts federal employees’ political activity.
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On the first day of the US government shutdown, employees at the Department of Education (DOE) discovered their automatic out-of-office email responses had been altered to include partisan language, blaming Senate Democrats for the shutdown. This change was made without employee consent, with some employees attempting to revert to neutral language only to have it changed back. The DOE’s human resources had originally provided employees with neutral out-of-office language, as did the Small Business Administration and, according to sources and screenshots reviewed by WIRED, the Department of Labor. The altered message explicitly placed blame on Senate Democrats.
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Watchdog group files Hatch Act complaint over federal agencies blaming Democrats for shutdown.
Here’s the situation: a watchdog group has filed a Hatch Act complaint because they believe federal agencies are unfairly blaming Democrats for the government shutdown. It seems like a familiar tune, doesn’t it? The Hatch Act is meant to keep federal employees from playing partisan politics. The general consensus is that the Hatch Act is a law that’s difficult to enforce, especially when those in power are the ones who would need to enforce it. There’s a real frustration here, a sense of the rules not mattering.
The process for dealing with Hatch Act violations involves a few different organizations, all under the president’s control.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood