Some experts think the overtly political messaging could run afoul of the Hatch Act, a federal law that places specific limits on the political activities of civil employees of the federal government.
Michael Fallings, a federal-employment attorney and managing partner at the law firm Tully Rinckey, told NPR that such direction from the federal government “could be considered a violation of the Hatch Act.”
“Here, while the reference to Democrats alone likely does not constitute a violation, the explicit blaming of the Democratic Party for the shutdown and ‘reference to radical left’ may constitute a violation,” he told the outlet in a statement.
Donald Sherman, the executive director of the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told NBC News that the messaging is likely in violation of the code of conduct for federal employees. “There’s no universe where that is acceptable or advisable under the code of conduct.”
Public Citizen, the consumer advocacy group, has filed complaints against the multiple departments who have adapted this messaging including HUD and the SBA, alleging Hatch Act violations. “This is such an obvious violation of the Hatch Act that it raises the question: ‘How on Earth does HUD think they can get away with this?’ Craig Holman, the group’s government-affairs lobbyist, said in a statement.
Nia Prater
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