Senate Democrats Request GAO Investigation into Partisan Messaging During Shutdown
Senate Democrats, spearheaded by Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts, are urging the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to look into what they describe as “partisan messages released to the public” by federal agencies amid the government shutdown.
In a letter, they asserted their “legislative responsibility” to ensure proper federal fund usage, calling on Comptroller General Gene Dodaro to “investigate reports” of government agencies directing employees to post political out-of-office messages and scrutinize whether these messages breach federal appropriations laws.
A notable instance that Democrats believe exemplifies inappropriate messaging was a video featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who criticized Democrats for airport shutdowns nationwide.
Critics suggested this might contravene the Hatch Act, which restricts executive branch officials from leveraging their positions or federal resources to affect elections.
“Some agency announcements seemed solely partisan, lacking any public service connection,” Senate Democrats noted.
They pointed out a message from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) posted on October 1, which stated, “If we don’t get our $1.5 trillion list of demands, the radical left intends to shut down the government and cause great suffering to the American people.”
Similar communications were flagged from the Departments of Agriculture, Justice, Treasury, and the Small Business Administration.
The letter, sent on November 9, was endorsed by Warren and several other Democratic senators, including Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Andy Kim (D.N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), Tina Smith (D-Minnesota), Cory Booker (D.N.J.), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Delaware).
They referenced media reports indicating that some agencies had advised furloughed employees to include political messaging in their out-of-office replies.
For example, “The Department of Labor reportedly ‘sent a message to all employees suggesting possible out-of-office notices…’ pointing fingers at Democrats for the government shutdown,” they stated.
The senators reminded the Comptroller General about the GAO’s role in providing legal guidance to Congress and federal agencies regarding public fund usage under the Appropriations Act.
“Federal law… bars government agencies from employing any appropriated funds, directly or indirectly, to create publicity aimed at swaying Congress for or against legislation or appropriations,” they emphasized.
The letter calls for the Office of Accountability to compile a list of “all” public communications, including website posts and messages, published by federal agencies and employees during the shutdown.
They specifically requested that communications featuring phrases like “radical left” and “Democratic Party” be highlighted.
The senators seek to ascertain which officials were responsible for the decision to share these partisan messages regarding the closures, along with an overview of the procedures followed in publishing them.
Moreover, they asked the GAO to “provide the full cost of these messages” and identify the funding sources behind them.
