Trump Administration Reportedly Hijacked Employees' Accounts To Send Emails Blaming Democrats for Shutdown

"On Thursday morning, ABC News reported that the Trump administration instructed employees at the Department of Justice and the Department of Labor to set up automated out-of-office replies slamming Democrats for the legislative stalemate. Over at Education, however, employees had their accounts commandeered to send messages to that effect against their will. CNN cited multiple sources who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation."

"It is compelled speech and feels like a setup, one Education employee told CNN. Another said they felt completely violated and concerned. An official for the department defended the messages. The email reminds those who reach out to Department of Education employees that we cannot respond because Senate Democrats are refusing to vote for a clean CR and fund the government, Madi Biedermann, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications, said in a statement."

"Some legal experts have suggested the emails and similarly politicized communications from government departments may violate the Hatch Act, which requires the federal government to function in a nonpartisan fashion. I have seen articles about agencies providing suggested' language, but what's happening here is absolutely worse and scary, one Education employee told CNN. This week, some government websites featured messages blaming Democrats for the shutdown. The government shut down on Wednesday after the Senate failed to agree on a funding package."

Furloughed Department of Education employees had government email accounts automatically send out-of-office replies blaming Senate Democrats for the government shutdown. The Trump administration instructed employees at the Departments of Justice and Labor to set up automated replies criticizing Democrats, and Education accounts were reportedly commandeered without consent. Multiple employees spoke anonymously, saying the messages felt like compelled speech and left them violated and concerned. The department defended the messages, stating the email informs correspondents that staff cannot respond because Senate Democrats are refusing to vote for a clean continuing resolution. Legal experts warned such politicized communications may violate the Hatch Act. The shutdown followed the Senate's failure to agree on a funding package.

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