In an unusual move, federal agencies across the government sent nearly identical emails to employees Tuesday blaming Democrats for the looming shutdown, breaking from traditional non-partisan communications during funding disputes.
The emails, sent to workers at the Departments of Interior, Labor, Health and Human Services, and many others, directly pointed the finger at congressional Democrats for the funding lapse.
“Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking this Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands,” the messages stated. “If Congressional Democrats maintain their current posture and refuse to pass a clean Continuing Resolution… federal appropriated funding will lapse.”
This messaging extended beyond internal communications. The White House website featured a countdown clock declaring “Democrats Have Shut Down the Government.” The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s website displayed a banner stating “The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government.”
Ethics experts quickly raised red flags about these communications. The Hatch Act bars federal employees from political activity while on duty, and these messages may cross that line.
“This correspondence from Federal Government Officials could be considered a violation of the Hatch Act,” said Michael Fallings from law firm Tully Rinckey. While simply mentioning Democrats might not violate the law, “the explicit blaming of the Democratic Party for the shutdown and ‘reference to radical left’ may constitute a violation.”
Donald Sherman from ethics watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington noted that while the messages might not technically violate the Hatch Act since they don’t address elections, “it certainly violates the spirit of that law.”
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This approach differs sharply from past shutdowns. During the 2013 funding lapse under President Obama, his message to federal workers criticized Congress without naming either political party.
“This type of email informing us of a potential shutdown is not new, but the tone and blaming one political party is definitely unusual,” said an Office of Personnel Management employee who requested anonymity.
The Department of Veterans Affairs issued perhaps the most pointed statement, with press secretary Pete Kasperowicz claiming “radical liberals in Congress” were trying to shut down the government to achieve an “open borders” agenda.
Despite the heated language, the VA noted that about 97% of its employees would continue working, and core health services would remain operational due to advance funding.
President Trump told reporters Tuesday that he favors shutdown-related layoffs. “When you shut it down, you have to do layoffs,” Trump said. “We’d be laying off a lot of people that are going to be very affected. They’re going to be Democrats.”
Public Citizen filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel regarding HUD’s website banner, calling it a “blatant violation” of ethics rules.
Several agencies confirmed the messages came at the direction of the White House Office of Management and Budget. The Interior Department stated their message “was issued under the guidance of the Office of Management and Budget” and in alignment with their protocols.”
As the shutdown continues, federal workers find themselves caught in increasingly partisan messaging that ethics experts warn may undermine long-standing norms of non-partisan public service.
