Federal agencies are throwing punches in a political brawl over the government shutdown, pointing fingers squarely at Senate Democrats for the mess, as ABC News reports.
The story in a nutshell: a Senate deadlock has left the federal government unfunded, prompting several agencies to post partisan messages on websites, social media, and emails, accusing Democrats of causing the crisis while sparking outrage over ethics violations and eroded public trust.
As early as Tuesday, before the shutdown even kicked in, internet sleuths spotted political postings from government agencies blaming Democrats for the looming chaos. It was a preemptive strike, setting the tone for what would become a full-blown messaging war across federal platforms.
Take the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), whose website screamed that the “Radical Left” aims to “shut down the government” over a supposed $1.5 trillion demand list. Well, isn’t that a spicy way to greet visitors? Turns out, painting policy disagreements as catastrophic tantrums might just be the new federal welcome mat.
The Small Business Administration joined the fray with a red banner claiming Senate Democrats are blocking service to 36 million small businesses. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration’s site noted its critical work continues despite a “Democrat-led” shutdown—a not-so-subtle jab at who they think owns this disaster.
Even the Department of Veterans Affairs got in on the action, sending newsletters to folks like Army veteran Samuel Port, pinning the blame on Democrats for blocking a stopgap bill and listing disruptions to veterans’ resources. Port wasn’t amused, lamenting, “This blatant propaganda being spat out was astonishing.” Hard to disagree when taxpayer-funded messages read like campaign ads.
By Wednesday, the Department of Education reset out-of-office emails to accuse Democratic senators of blocking a clean funding resolution passed by the House on September 19. Some employees tried to swap these for neutral replies, only to see them reverted—an internal tug-of-war over tone. Talk about a lesson in bureaucratic stubbornness.
That same day, concerned citizens dialing the White House comment line got an earful from press secretary Karoline Leavitt via a political voicemail. And if that wasn’t enough, the White House website now features a ticking clock tracking how long “Democrats Have Shut Down the Government.” Subtlety, it seems, took a sick day.
Of the 15 executive departments under President Trump’s Cabinet, at least 10 have posted similar messages this week, slamming Democrats or the “radical left” on official channels. Some agencies, to their credit, kept it neutral, merely warning of service delays due to funding lapses. But the majority opted for partisan flair over impartial fact.
Ethics watchdogs aren’t laughing, warning that this level of partisanship in civil service messaging is unprecedented and likely violates the 1939 Hatch Act, which curbs political activity by federal employees. Professor Don Kettl hit the nail on the head, noting the risk of eroding “fundamental trust” in government impartiality. When agencies play politics, who can believe they’re serving the people over a party?
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee fired back on Thursday, demanding the Office of Special Counsel investigate these messages for apparent Hatch Act breaches. Meanwhile, the political standoff continues: Democrats, the minority in both chambers, insist on extending health insurance tax credits before funding talks, while Republicans argue that they should wait until after a deal is struck.
House Speaker Mike Johnson doubled down Thursday, calling the HUD banner “objective truth” and stressing that 44 Senate Democrats, plus nearly all House Democrats save one, chose to “shut the government down.” It’s a bold claim, but when agencies echo that sentiment, it starts sounding less like debate and more like doctrine.
Defenders like VA spokesman Pete Kasperowicz insist their message was “100% factual,” while HUD Secretary Scott Turner dismissed Hatch Act concerns as a distraction from congressional irresponsibility. But when government platforms become megaphones for one side, it’s hard to see this as anything but a trust-killer for everyday Americans.
So here we are, caught in a shutdown with no end in sight, as federal agencies pick sides in a blame game that helps no one. Veterans, small businesses, and regular folks bear the brunt of delayed services while politicians bicker and bureaucrats editorialize.
Maybe it’s time for all sides to remember that the public deserves better than partisan posturing on official letterhead.
