Summary
The Trump administration is accused of breaking the Hatch Act, a federal law that limits political activity by government workers, during the U.S. government shutdown. Advocacy groups claim that government messages blaming Democrats for the shutdown may have violated these rules. Complaints have been filed to investigate whether these communications breached federal laws.
Key Facts
- The Hatch Act restricts political activities by federal employees to ensure government neutrality.
- The government shut down on October 1 after Congress failed to agree on funding, halting non-essential activities.
- The Trump administration is accused of violating the Hatch Act by sending messages blaming Democrats for the shutdown.
- The Democracy Defenders Fund filed a complaint alleging that the Department of Housing and Urban Development used funds improperly for political messaging.
- The Government Accountability Office does not investigate potential Hatch Act breaches.
- The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) enforces the Hatch Act but some of its staff were unavailable due to funding lapses.
- Public Citizen, an advocacy group, also filed a complaint reporting a potential Hatch Act breach by HUD.
- The Department of Justice posted messages on its website blaming Democrats for the shutdown.
