Federal Workers’ Emails Politicized Amid Shutdown, Sparking Ethics Row
Federal Workers’ Emails Politicized Amid Shutdown, Sparking Ethics Row
As the government shutdown continues into its third day, a troubling pattern of politically charged out-of-office messages has emerged from federal employees’ email accounts, often without their consent. Multiple furloughed workers at the Department of Education report that automatic emails blaming Democrats for the shutdown were sent from their accounts, overriding their own neutral messages.
Sources within the department, speaking anonymously due to fear of retribution, described the unauthorized messages as disturbing and potentially damaging to their professional reputations. One employee noted feeling “completely violated and concerned” by the move, which they characterized as “compelled speech” and a “setup.” Some workers attempted to revert their messages to generic ones, only to find them changed back to the partisan version.
The specific message disseminated read: “Thank you for contacting me. On September 19, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5371, a clean continuing resolution. Unfortunately, Democrat Senators are blocking passage of H.R. 5371 in the Senate which has led to a lapse in appropriations. Due to the lapse in appropriations I am currently in furlough status. I will respond to emails once government functions resume.”
This practice is not isolated to the Department of Education. The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed instructing employees to use messages blaming Democrats, stating they reflect “the truth.” Similar directives were reported at the Small Business Administration, while several agency homepages, including HUD, State Department, and CDC, also feature partisan statements blaming Democrats for the shutdown.
Ethics experts, including former White House ethics lawyer Richard Painter, suggest these actions could violate several laws, notably the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activity while on duty and protects them from political coercion. Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, has already filed a complaint against the Small Business Administration and Department of Housing and Urban Development over their partisan homepage messages.
Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.