Departments and staff are using out-of-office emails and websites to engage in partisan political activity
A growing number of federal agencies and staff are explicitly blaming Democrats for the current government shutdown. The political messaging by the agencies may be a violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity.
Furloughed federal employees at some agencies have been instructed to set out-of-office messages explaining that they are not working because Democrats caused a shutdown. Government agency websites also have displayed messages informing site visitors the websites are temporarily on hold due to the “Democrat-led” shutdown.
The Department of Justice
The Department of State
The Department of the Treasury
The Department of Agriculture
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (Hud)
The Department of Education
The Department of Heath and Human Services
The Department of Commerce
The Department of Labor
The Small Business Administration (SBA)
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Background
This developing story continues to unfold as more information becomes available. The situation has drawn attention from various stakeholders and continues to be monitored closely.
Analysis
Industry experts suggest that this development could have significant implications moving forward. The broader context of this news reflects ongoing trends in the sector.
What This Means
The implications of this news extend beyond the immediate circumstances. Stakeholders are closely watching how this situation develops and what it might mean for future developments in this area.