Federal agencies are taking unprecedented steps during the ongoing government shutdown, circulating partisan messages that blame Democrats for the lapse in funding. Legal experts and current employees warn that the move could violate the Hatch Act, the law that requires federal employees to remain politically neutral in the performance of their duties.
Multiple furloughed Department of Education employees discovered their government accounts had automatically sent out-of-office replies claiming Democrats caused the shutdown. According to four current staffers who spoke anonymously to CNN, those messages were not written or approved by the employees themselves. They described the experience as “disturbing” and a violation of their professional integrity.
Similar partisan language appeared on several government websites. HUD.gov displayed a banner reading, “The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government.” USDA.gov posted a message saying, “Due to the Radical Left Democrat shutdown, this government website will not be updated during the funding lapse.” Both added statements portraying President Trump as committed to keeping the government open.
Even the White House website included inflammatory language, accusing Democrats of “engineering” the shutdown, alongside a screenshot of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer from MSNBC, taken out of context to suggest he endorsed the shutdown.
The Hatch Act, passed in 1939, prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity while performing official duties. Typically, that includes using government resources to promote or oppose a political party. Critics say that automated emails and official websites blaming Democrats cross that line.
“It’s propaganda,” one employee told CNN. “And it puts us in a compromising position without our consent.”
Beyond auto-generated emails, federal workers at other agencies reported being given suggested language to use in their out-of-office notices — language that directly blames Democrats. Senior VA leaders also distributed a message to stakeholders saying Democrats were blocking a clean continuing resolution to fund the government.
The coordination of language across multiple departments suggests that the messaging is being driven centrally, raising further questions about legality.
This is not the first time partisan messaging has surfaced during a shutdown, but experts say the scope and coordination are unprecedented. If proven to be violations of the Hatch Act, it could erode trust in the government’s neutrality and further politicize federal institutions.
As one Department of Education employee put it, “This isn’t just about a shutdown. It’s about the government using our names and jobs to spread propaganda.”
Don’t Hit Snooze
Reveille is your wake-up call. Get the news and the tools to act.
