A high-ranking Democrat is pointing to GOP "propaganda" attacks, saying it could be a "naked violation of the Hatch Act" that he said has "outraged" his constituents.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) announced Thursday that the Trump administration is using government websites and civil servant emails "to promote blatantly partisan propaganda about the government shutdown."
"This is an intolerable abuse of power and a form of bureaucratic identity theft from federal workers," Raskin said in a statement. "I have been contacted by numerous constituents outraged by the fact that the Trump Administration is now sending out blatantly partisan messages, both on official Websites and through emails from federal agencies. These official agency messages blame ‘Senate Democrats’ and the ‘Radical Left’ for the government shutdown."
Democrats have insisted they're fighting to avoid healthcare costs rising ahead of open enrollment. Republicans and Democrats have pointed fingers at each other over who is to blame for the shutdown.
Raskin said taxpayer-funded agencies including the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Small Business Administration have been turned into "MAGA propaganda organs."
"This looks like a naked violation of the Hatch Act, which forbids partisan activity in the federal workplace," he said.
"If any agency head under any previous Administration ever used official letterhead to promote their political views, they would have been instantly fired, if not prosecuted," he added.
Raskin noted taxpayers can't be forced to be a "captive audience for propaganda" whenever they ask about their benefits and rights.
"Nor may an Administration grant itself a campaign contribution of free nationwide political ads by hijacking agency service messages," he said. "Surely the Trump Administration would be firing any Executive Branch employee today who set up an official Website message blaming Trump and Republicans for shutting down the government.