Public Citizen files Hatch Act complaint after HUD homepage blames 'Radical Left' for impending shutdown
Public Citizen filed a Hatch Act complaint with the Office of Special Counsel after the Department of Housing and Urban Development's homepage displayed a banner blaming the "Radical Left" and a "$1.5 trillion wish list" for an impending government shutdown set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, prompting criticism that taxpayer dollars were being used to attack Democrats. Craig Holman of Public Citizen called the banner an obvious Hatch Act violation and said enforcement may be weakened after the firing of Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger and his replacement by acting Special Counsel Jamieson Greer.
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🔍 Key Facts
- Public Citizen formally filed a Hatch Act complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) alleging a partisan violation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) homepage banner.
- The HUD homepage banner directly blamed the "Radical Left" for an impending shutdown and referenced a "$1.5 trillion wish list," language quoted in reporting.
- Public Citizen's complaint cites that HUD banner as prohibited partisan political activity under the Hatch Act.
- Craig Holman of Public Citizen is named and quoted, calling the banner an "obvious Hatch Act violation" and saying ethics enforcement has been weakened by prior personnel changes.
- Reporting notes that Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger was earlier fired and replaced by acting Special Counsel Jamieson Greer, a leadership change cited as context for enforcement concerns.
- The complaint was filed as a federal government shutdown was set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, tying the banner message to the immediate shutdown timing.
📍 Contextual Background
- Social Security benefits are funded through mandatory spending, meaning the program's funding is provided without an annual expiration and does not require yearly appropriations to continue benefit payments.
- The Social Security Administration's contingency plans provide that in the event of a lapse in appropriations the agency will follow those plans and beneficiaries would continue receiving Social Security, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments.
- During a U.S. federal government shutdown, active-duty military personnel and deployed National Guard members must continue to perform their assigned duties but their pay is delayed until the shutdown ends.
- Republicans and Democrats were engaged in negotiations over government funding ahead of an upcoming funding deadline described as occurring on a Tuesday.
- Civilian personnel whose work the Department of Defense designates as 'excepted' continue to work during a government shutdown, while other Department of Defense civilian employees are furloughed.
- The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 provides that government employees automatically receive back pay after a government shutdown.
- Congress enacted the Pay Our Military Act in 2013 to ensure military pay and allowances continued during a government shutdown.
📰 Sources (2)
Government website blames shutdown on "radical left;" prompts ethics complaint
New information:
- Public Citizen formally filed a Hatch Act complaint with the Office of Special Counsel citing the HUD homepage banner.
- Direct quote of the HUD banner message blaming the 'Radical Left' and citing a '$1.5 trillion wish list.'
- Craig Holman of Public Citizen is named and quoted calling the banner an obvious Hatch Act violation and alleging weakened ethics enforcement due to prior firings.
- The article cites that Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger was earlier fired and replaced by acting Special Counsel Jamieson Greer, providing context about OSC leadership changes tied to enforcement concerns.
- Timing detail tying the complaint to a shutdown set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.