US EditionFederal Workers Sue the Education Department over Partisan Shutdown Emails
The American Federation of Government Employees alleges forced partisan messaging in official emails violates First Amendment rights and federal ethics laws including the Hatch Act.
- On Friday, the American Federation of Government Employees filed suit against the U.S. Department of Education over altered out-of-office emails blaming Democrats, the lawsuit alleges in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
- After senators failed to pass a stopgap, the U.S. government partially shut down at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1, prompting the White House and federal agency websites to blame Congressional Democrats and the 'Radical Left'.
- Multiple employees told NPR that Department of Education employees' automatic replies sent in the first person lacked consent, while Madi Biedermann said the messages blamed Senate Democrats for the shutdown.
- Ethics experts cautioned that the messaging may violate the Hatch Act, and the complaint alleges compelled speech breaches First Amendment rights, while Rep. Robert Garcia requested an OSC probe.
- The shutdown's staffing and fiscal effects include significant furlough and back-pay projections, with about 87% of Department of Education staff expected to be furloughed and CBO estimating $400 million daily back pay for 750,000 furloughed federal workers.
39 Articles
39 Articles
Union sues Feds over claims of partisan automatic emails
(The Center Square) — The nation's largest federal workers' union sued the Trump administration, accusing it of violating employees' free speech rights by rewriting their out-of-office emails to blame Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown.
Government shuts down amid partisan deadlock
What happenedThe federal government shut down this week after Democrats and Republicans failed to strike a spending deal, leaving some 750,000 federal workers furloughed and many in fear that their jobs could be terminated by the Trump administration. The shutdown arrived after days of acrimony and little productive negotiation. Senate Republicans, who need at least seven Democratic votes to overcome a filibuster, insisted Democrats pass a House…
Federal workers sue the Education Department over partisan shutdown emails
A federal workers union is suing the Trump administration for inserting language into Department of Education employees’ out-of-office email messages blaming Democrats for the government shutdown.“Forcing civil servants to speak on behalf of the political leadership’s partisan agenda is a blatant violation of federal employees’ First Amendment rights,” said the complaint, which was filed by the American Federation of Government Employees in fede…
Shutdown set to drag into sixth day with no signs of a breakthrough in Congress | The New York Ledger
The federal government shutdown enters its 6th day Monday with legislators still stuck in their partisan corners and no possibility of a speedy resolution. Nobody understands when the shutdown will end due to the fact that neither side is pulling back. ” I believe it’s simply as long as the Democrats desire it to go on,” Senate Bulk Leader John Thune, South Dakota Republican politician, stated on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Early morning Futures.…
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