Press Releases

Today, U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) sent a letter to Jamieson Greer, Acting Special Counsel, demanding that the Office of Special Counsel immediately investigate the Trump administration’s apparent illegal use of government resources to promote a partisan political agenda. Carbajal’s letter comes on the heels of political messages regarding the current government shutdown being posted to federal agency websites and displayed in airports nationwide.

“Recent postings on official government websites and reported emails to employees promote a partisan political narrative regarding the causes of the shutdown—activity that federal law expressly prohibits when ‘directed toward the success or failure of a political party, partisan political group, or candidate for partisan political office’,” wrote Carbajal. “The Hatch Act is clear: Federal employees must remain impartial in the performance of their duties, regardless of political climate or leadership. Federal employees, including those on California’s Central Coast, deserve clear guidance to ensure that directives do not compromise their integrity or the public’s trust.”

Carbajal cites the website for the Los Padres National Forest, which includes a partisan message about the government shutdown, as an example of a Hatch Act violation.

Carbajal continued, “It has been brought to my attention that the website for the Los Padres National Forest under the U.S. Department of Agriculture includes partisan messaging attempting to place blame on Congressional Democrats— another violation of the Hatch Act. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.”

In light of these apparent violations of the Hatch Act, Carbajal demands the Office of Special Counsel to open an immediate investigation.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Mr. Greer:

I am writing to request that you open an investigation concerning reports that political messaging has been disseminated through federal agency channels during the ongoing government shutdown. This includes reports of a request by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to airports that they air videos framing the cause of the federal shutdown in political terms. I believe that the request from DHS to airports, messaging included in federal government websites and communications disseminated to employees are in clear violation of the Hatch Act and federal restrictions on partisan activity by government employees. This is an inappropriate and wasteful use of taxpayer dollars for political gain that merits a full investigation.  

Recent postings on official government websites and reported emails to employees promote a partisan political narrative regarding the causes of the shutdown—activity that federal law expressly prohibits when “directed toward the success or failure of a political party, partisan political group, or candidate for partisan political office.” 

Again, the Hatch Act is clear: Federal employees must remain impartial in the performance of their duties, regardless of political climate or leadership. Federal employees, including those on California’s Central Coast, deserve clear guidance to ensure that directives do not compromise their integrity or the public’s trust. 

It has been brought to my attention that the website for the Los Padres National Forest under the U.S. Department of Agriculture includes partisan messaging attempting to place blame on Congressional Democrats— another violation of the Hatch Act.  Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. There are multiple reports that several agencies have issued communications blaming one political party for the ongoing shutdown, using official government resources to amplify these claims.  These statements—some of which appeared on agency websites and others distributed internally to staff—frame the shutdown as being “caused by Democrats” or “driven by the left,” language that raises significant Hatch Act concerns. Regardless of which party holds power, such messaging violates the foundational principle that federal agencies serve the American people, not partisan agendas.

These clear violations of federal law demand a prompt and thorough investigation. To ensure accountability and transparency, I respectfully request that the Office of Special Counsel:

1. Immediately open an investigation into the use of government communications channels for partisan purposes during the shutdown; and
2. Provide guidance on how your office plans to address these incidents and prevent future violations. 

Preserving the impartiality of federal agencies and their employees is essential to ensuring the integrity of our democracy and sustaining the public’s trust in our institutions. I ask that you give this request your immediate attention. Please reach out to my office at (202) 225-3601 should you have any questions.