When you visit the official website for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), at the top of the page you’re met with a bright, red banner with an explosive message. Not only that, a giant pop-up grabs your attention again, with yet another message blaming “the radical left” amid a government shutdown.
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Now, ethics watchdogs are demanding an investigation in what they call is a direct violation of federal law.
To catch you up to speed, Republicans and Democrats failed to come to an agreement on government spending. Their deadline was Tuesday (Sept. 30) night, and because they could not come together (and blamed each other), hundreds of thousands of employees were furloughed, agencies shut down key functions, and the federal government has officially shut down.
Now, a message on HUD’s homepage had something to say about the shutdown.
Initially, according to The Guardian, the glaring message on HUD’s website read:
“The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people unless they get their $1.5 trillion wish list of demands. The Trump administration wants to keep the government open for the American people.”
That same message reportedly appeared in a pop up message, too. As of this writing on Wednesday (Oct. 1), the red banner is still there, but the text has been tweaked, along with the pop-up. The edited version now reads:
“The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government. HUD will use available resources to help Americans in need.”
The message seems to align with the Trump administration’s rhetoric, who continues to cast blame on Democrats for the funding crisis and their “legislative demands.”
For context, federal agencies will often post non-partisan and informational messages, like contingency plans, service reductions notices, and details for affected employees during a government shutdown. But HUD’s message was both significant and highly unusual as it, according to some folks, went from being a neutral official government channel into a platform to spew political blame.
Now, Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, are calling for an immediate investigation. CBS News reported the group filed a complaint Tuesday (Sept. 30) with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) because the message pinned on the American taxpayer’s website is what they call a violation of the Hatch Act.
The Hatch Act of 1939, formally An Act to Prevent Pernicious Political Activities, is a U.S. federal law designed to make sure federal workplaces are politically neutral, to limit partisan political activities, and to ensure government programs are administered fairly regardless of political affiliation.
The Hatch Act also prohibits federal employees from using their authority or influence to affect election results, and is designed to keep them from engaging in partisan political activity while on duty, in a federal facility, or using federal property— including an official government website.
And some folks say HUD’s message did exactly that.
Samuel Bagenstos, who served on the Biden administration’s Department of Health and Human Services’ general counsel, called the message “ridiculous” and “propagandistic,” The Guardian reports.
The complaint called HUD’s red banner “highly partisan” that seeks to “idolize the Trump administration… without attributing any blame for the lack of compromise causing the shutdown.” Craig Holman, Public Citizen’s government ethics expert, said the message was “such an obvious violation of the Hatch Act that it raises the question: ‘How on Earth does HUD think they can get away with this?’”
Matthew Maley, a HUD spokesperson, said, “The Far Left is barreling our country toward a shut down, which will hurt all Americans,” to The Guardian. “At HUD, we are working to keep critical services online and support our most vulnerable. Why is the media more focused on a banner than reporting on the impact of a shutdown on the American people?”
The OSC, an independent agency, is responsible for enforcing the Hatch Act, CBS News reported, and is expected to investigate. But HUD may not be the only one investigated.
On the U.S. Department of Justice’s homepage, a blue banner at the top declares: “Democrats have shut down the government.” The official website for The White House has the same message, but took it a step further with a running timer.
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