WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell demanded Wednesday that federal investigators examine whether Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem violated federal law by distributing a partisan video message at airport security checkpoints nationwide.
The Washington Democrat wrote to Acting Special Counsel Jamieson Greer requesting an investigation into potential Hatch Act violations. The law prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activity while on duty.
Cantwell alleges Noem’s video falsely blames “Democrats in Congress” for the government shutdown’s impact on airport operations and TSA employees working without pay.
“This message is not just false; it appears to violate the prohibitions contained in the Hatch Act,” Cantwell wrote.
The taxpayer-funded video shows Noem in her official capacity before an American flag and DHS insignia. According to Cantwell’s letter, Noem states: “Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government. And because of this, many of our operations are impacted and most of our TSA employees are working without pay.”
Multiple airports refused to broadcast the message. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Spokane International Airport, and Portland International Airport declined to air the video, along with airports in Cleveland, Buffalo, Charlotte, Phoenix and Las Vegas.
A Port of Seattle spokesperson said Sea-Tac would not play the video “due to the political nature of the content.”
Cantwell argues the video misleads Americans while omitting that Republicans control the White House, Senate and House. The Hatch Act restricts federal employees from political activity while on duty, with violations potentially resulting in removal from federal service.
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