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Dem Senators Allege Noem Violated The Hatch Act
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Dem Senators Allege Noem Violated The Hatch Act

Day 16 of the Schumer Shutdown, and instead of negotiating like adults, Senate Democrats are outraged—outraged!—over a video. Not the contents of the video, mind you, but the fact that it was played in airports and blamed them for the shutdown. The horror. And in classic fashion, they’ve now pivoted to what they always do when they can’t argue on substance: scream “Hatch Act!” and start an investigation.

The video in question was recorded by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. It calmly and clearly explains the consequences of the government shutdown and—brace yourself—places the blame squarely on the Democrats who are refusing to consider Republican Majority Leader John Thune’s offer to reopen the government in exchange for votes on Obamacare extensions. That’s not coercion. That’s politics. Welcome to Washington.


But to Senate Democrats, this is a federal emergency. Not the border crisis. Not inflation. Not the shutdown itself. No, the true crisis, in their view, is that travelers waiting in airports were exposed to a message that didn’t flatter their party. The solution? An “investigation” and an angry letter from the ever-dependable Sen. Richard “Stolen Valor” Blumenthal, claiming that DHS may have violated the Hatch Act.

For clarity, here’s what the Hatch Act actually does: it bars federal employees from engaging in partisan political activities while on duty or using their office to influence elections. That’s it. That’s the entire game. It is not a blanket prohibition on government officials ever saying something politically inconvenient to Democrats. Yet the left has turned the Hatch Act into a political voodoo doll—poke it whenever someone tells a truth they don’t like.


Let’s talk hypocrisy. If Democrats are suddenly born-again Hatch Act absolutists, where was this outrage when Neera Tanden, a Biden advisor, was warned multiple times to stop fundraising for Democrat candidates while in office—and ignored it? Where was it when HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, speaking in his official capacity, veered off script and endorsed Sen. Alex Padilla on camera, prompting a staffer to literally gasp in horror? Or when Joe Biden’s own social media team was caught posting memes targeting Republican policies during official events?

These are not “gray areas.” These are direct violations of the Hatch Act. And yet, they received a slap on the wrist or were swept under the rug because, in Washington, violations by Democrats are treated as “oversights” and violations by Republicans are treated as high crimes. The rules only apply in one direction—and everyone knows it.


Now, airports are refusing to air the DHS video because it’s “coercive.” But somehow, broadcasting CNN 24/7 isn’t? The irony is so thick it should be quarantined. This is political censorship disguised as policy enforcement.

Meanwhile, Democrats are asking DHS for itemized receipts—who funded the video, how much it cost, who approved it, whether the Trump administration was involved, whether the words “Orange Man” were uttered during filming. It’s a fishing expedition, not a serious legal inquiry. It’s what you do when you don’t want to talk about the real issue: that Senate Democrats shut down the government, and they’re being called out for it—effectively.


This is what the Democratic Party has become. While Americans deal with delayed paychecks, closed agencies, and stalled services, Senate Democrats are melting down over a video that dares to hold them accountable. Their answer is not to negotiate. It’s to litigate. Not to solve problems. But to weaponize bureaucracy and retroactively criminalize speech they don’t like.

Written by Arthur Higgens - October 17, 2025