Top House Oversight Dem calls for Hatch Act investigation into Trump admin over shutdown messaging

House Oversight Ranking Member Robert Garcia on Thursday sent a letter to acting Special Counsel Jamieson Greer, calling for an investigation into whether the Trump administration violated the Hatch Act for blaming the government shutdown on Democrats.

The Trump administration has posted messages on the websites of multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture, that blame the "radical left" for the shutdown after the Senate failed to pass a continuing resolution that would keep the government funded through Nov. 21.

Garcia claimed the messaging appeared to violate the Hatch Act, which forbids government employees from engaging in certain political activity while on duty or in their official capacity as a federal employee.

“Violations of the law must be held accountable,” Garcia wrote in the letter. “The Administration’s statements make it abundantly clear that these messages are intended to circumvent the law, further highlighting the need for an immediate investigation. Federal agencies work for the American people, not a political party.”

Garcia said House Oversight Democrats will investigate alleged Hatch Act violations, and that the recent actions "fit a pattern of abuse and politicization of Executive Branch agencies."

The nonprofit Public Citizen has also filed Hatch Act complaints against the Trump administration over the blame game.

The White House has defended the rhetoric as being "objective fact," rather than partisan politics.

“It’s an objective fact that Democrats are responsible for the government shutdown, the Trump Administration is simply sharing the truth with the American people,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Politico.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.