Public Citizen files Hatch Act complaint after HUD homepage blames 'Radical Left' for impending shutdown
Public Citizen has filed a Hatch Act complaint with the Office of Special Counsel after a banner on the Department of Housing and Urban Development homepage blamed "The Radical Left in Congress" and a "$1.5 trillion wish list" for an impending government shutdown set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. Craig Holman of Public Citizen called the messaging an obvious Hatch Act violation and warned enforcement has been weakened after the firing of Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger and his replacement by acting Special Counsel Jamieson Greer, while the White House — including spokeswoman Abigail Jackson and DOJ communications — has defended the statements as factual and denied they violate federal law even as reporters raised Hatch Act and Anti‑Lobbying Act concerns.
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🔍 Key Facts
- Public Citizen formally filed a Hatch Act complaint with the Office of Special Counsel citing a HUD homepage banner/pop‑up that blamed 'The Radical Left in Congress' for an impending shutdown and referenced a '$1.5 trillion wish list.'
- The HUD banner was reported verbatim in coverage as blaming the 'Radical Left' and citing a '$1.5 trillion wish list.'
- Craig Holman of Public Citizen called the HUD banner an obvious Hatch Act violation and said ethics enforcement has been weakened by prior firings; coverage notes Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger was earlier fired and replaced by acting Special Counsel Jamieson Greer, providing context for enforcement concerns at the OSC.
- The complaint and the website messaging were filed/posted as a government shutdown was set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
- Fox News reported obtaining a Department of Justice memo sent to employees that attributes the funding lapse to Senate Democrats, outlines furlough procedures, and quoted a DOJ website banner saying, 'Democrats have shut down the government. Department of Justice websites are not currently regularly updated.'
- The White House defended the messaging and denied it violated federal law; White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said, 'The Trump Administration is committed to sharing the truth with the American people, and it’s simply a fact that the Democrats shut down the government.'
- Reporters and ethics advocates raised Hatch Act and Anti‑Lobbying Act concerns over the administration's website messaging, prompting at least the Public Citizen complaint and wider scrutiny.
📍 Contextual Background
- The United States federal government entered a partial shutdown on 2025-10-01 after the midnight funding deadline passed with Democrats and Republicans failing to agree on a funding bill.
📰 Sources (3)
Media bashes Trump admin messaging for pinning shutdown on Dems, White House fires back
New information:
- White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson’s on‑the‑record rebuttal quote: 'The Trump Administration is committed to sharing the truth with the American people, and it’s simply a fact that the Democrats shut down the government.'
- Fox News Digital reports it obtained a Department of Justice memo sent to all employees that attributes the funding lapse to Senate Democrats and outlines furlough procedures, and quotes the DOJ website banner language: 'Democrats have shut down the government. Department of Justice websites are not currently regularly updated.'
- The article cites HUD website pop‑up text blaming 'The Radical Left in Congress' and includes the White House denial that such messaging violates federal law, while noting reporters raised Anti‑Lobbying Act and Hatch Act concerns
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.