House Democrats Seek OSC Probe of Shutdown Messaging
Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, sent a letter Oct. 2, 2025 to the U.S. Office of the Special Counsel asking it to investigate what he described as apparent Hatch Act violations and illegal use of government resources by Trump administration agencies that posted messages blaming congressional Democrats for the government shutdown. Garcia cited social‑media posts and agency website messaging and requested an immediate inquiry to determine whether federal law prohibiting partisan political activity by agencies and officials was violated.
Politics
Government/Regulatory
🔍 Key Facts
- Rep. Robert Garcia formally asked the U.S. Office of the Special Counsel on Oct. 2, 2025 to investigate alleged violations of the Hatch Act.
- Garcia cited social‑media posts and website messages from multiple Trump administration agencies that he says attempted to place blame for the shutdown on congressional Democrats.
- The letter notes the Special Counsel’s office is led by an acting official appointed by the Trump administration and requests an immediate probe to inform potential House Democratic investigations.
📍 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.