A federal court ruled that the Trump administration unlawfully used Education Department employees' email accounts to send partisan messages blaming Democratic Senators during the government shutdown, violating employees' rights and the principle of nonpartisanship in the civil service.
A federal court ordered the Education Department to stop using employee email messages that contained partisan political language blaming Democrats for a government shutdown, citing First Amendment violations and emphasizing that civil servants cannot be used as political spokespeople.
Originally Published 2 months ago — by Rolling Stone
The article discusses concerns over the use of federal websites and public service announcements to promote partisan political messages, specifically criticizing the Biden administration for displaying MAGA propaganda and violating ethics laws like the Hatch Act, with experts highlighting the lack of enforcement and the broader erosion of ethical norms in government.
Multiple airports across the U.S. are refusing to play a DHS video blaming Democrats for the government shutdown, citing legal and policy concerns about partisan content and the Hatch Act, amidst staffing shortages and delays caused by federal worker absences.
Political parties are launching targeted ad campaigns amid the threat of a government shutdown, focusing on issues like health care and immigration, as they prepare for the 2026 midterm elections. Past shutdowns have had limited long-term electoral impact, but parties are using the current situation to shape voter perceptions and rally support.
During a government shutdown, the Trump administration used official channels to blame Democrats, blurring the line between federal employees and partisan politics, raising concerns about violations of the Hatch Act and potential erosion of public trust in the civil service.
During the government shutdown, federal employees across various departments received out-of-office email responses that explicitly blamed Democrats for the shutdown, raising concerns about politicization and potential violations of the Hatch Act.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has posted a partisan message blaming the 'Radical Left' for the potential government shutdown, marking a rare instance of a federal agency using taxpayer resources for political messaging amid ongoing budget negotiations between Republicans and Democrats, with the shutdown potentially affecting numerous federal services.
The Trump administration is using taxpayer-funded communications, including a website banner and emails, to blame Democrats for an impending government shutdown, raising concerns about potential violations of federal ethics laws like the Hatch Act due to overtly partisan language.