The Hatch Act
More Trump Regime Lawlessness
Before beginning it's important to note that the U.S. Government is GOP-Majority-controlled. Without a continuing resolution or appropriation to keep the government functioning, it officially shutdown on October 1, 2025, and the shutdown is entering its third week.
The GOP-controlled House passed a "Continuing Resolution (CR)" and sent it to the Senate where 60 votes are required to pass the CR and reopen the Federal Government. The vote in the Senate has failed 8 times and counting.
The key issue is access to affordable healthcare for millions of working Americans and families. At present, Trump and GOP Congressional Leaders are saying "just pass the Continuing Resolution to temporarily fund and reopen government, and then we'll negotiate. If that sounds like Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown's kick, you're correct. Notably, there was no negotiation when the GOP decided to end healthcare premium subsidies (a core part of the Affordable Care Act) and eliminate Medicaid healthcare access for a projected 10 million Americans. Without the ACA subsidies, the cost of medical insurance is skyrocketing for individuals and families. For example, an individual earning $28,000 would see annual payments rise from $325 to $1,562.

So until the GOP reverses course on their Project 2025-driven plan to destroy access to healthcare for millions of Americans (to extend tax cuts for their wealthy donors), the Federal government remains shuttered.
Federal government agencies are supposed to serve the public. They are supposed to act in a non-partisan manner with a high standard of ethics and integrity. Instead agencies are acting to serve Trump. The most significant and dangerous example is the Department of Justice. The elevation of many of Trump's personal and corporate lawyers to the DOJ has turned the agency against the public it is charged to serve.
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-loyalist-lindsey-halligan-eastern-district-virginia-letitia-james/
At this point you may already know that Trump's Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem used our tax dollars to produce and "star" in a video in which she blames the Democratic Party for the shutdown causing air travel impact and delays. She distributed the video and directed all airports to display the video.
ICE Queen Kristi Noem and the law breaking TSA airport video : https://www.axios.com/2025/10/14/government-shutdown-noem-video-tsa-airports
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/15/kristi-noem-airport-video-hatch-act-cantwell.html
The Homeland Security example above and the following are all violations of the Hatch Act from HUD, the USDA, the DOJ, Treasury, and Education. Together they constitute a pattern of lawlessness and abuse.
- HUD (Housing and Urban Development), Scott Turner

- USDA, Brooke L. Rollins

- DOJ, Pam "Bribe me*" Bondi
*(https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-investigations/the-trump-foundation-pam-bondi-scandal/)

- Treasury, Scott Bessent (Thanks Scott, for adding a face to the violations of The Hatch Act. How are the "Trump Tariffs" going?)

- Education, Linda McMahon
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/12/linda-mcmahon-a1-instead-of-ai/83059797007/

- Education phone systems were set to the following message:
“Thank you for contacting me. On September 19, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5371, a clean continuing resolution. Unfortunately, Democrat Senators are blocking passage of H.R. 5371 in the Senate which has led to a lapse in appropriations,” the new out-of-office message says. “Due to the lapse in appropriations I am currently on furlough status. I will respond to emails once government functions resume.” Madi Biedermann, the agency’s deputy assistant secretary for communications, told Federal News Network in a statement that: “The email reminds those who reach out to Department of Education employees that we cannot respond because Senate Democrats are refusing to vote for a clean CR and fund the government. Where’s the lie?”

Government is supposed to be "of the people, for the people, and by the people". The government is supposed to create a foundation of fairness for all. The Hatch Act was signed into law in 1939 to protect the integrity of the Federal workforce and to preclude overtly partisan and political actions.
Can you imagine if the Social Security Administration said "From now on we will only process retirement benefits for members of the Democratic Party." The Hatch Act was designed and implemented to prevent agencies intended to serve the public, agencies funded by all taxpayers, from using those funds for political campaigns and partisan purposes. While the President and Vice-President are (unfortunately) exempt from Hatch Act violations, Cabinet Secretaries and Agency heads are not.
The Hatch Act provides a mechanism for anyone to file a complaint with the United States Office of Special Counsel (OSC).
Civic Action: Report EVERY violation to the Office of Senior Counsel, Here's how:
1. Gather Evidence
Collect specific details:
-Name, title, and agency of the employee
-Description of the behavior (what was said or done, and when)
-Screenshots, emails, links, or official documents showing the conduct
-How the conduct used official authority to influence an election or candidate
2. Submit the Complaint to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC)
- Online: osc.gov/complaints
- ...Or By Mail:
U.S. Office of Special Counsel
1730 M Street N.W., Suite 218
Washington, D.C. 20036-4505
While Trump will not take any action, regardless of OSC finding, against his cabal of incompetent, corrupt, sociopathic sycophants who comprise his Cabinet, we will continue to have a formal record for the Administration and its lawlessness. The formal record is available for media reporting and can be a foundation for future action.
Remember that one of Trump's first actions was to illegally fire 17 Inspector Generals. He illegally removed Phyllis Fong at Agriculture, Sandra Bruce at Education, Rae Davis at Housing and Urban Development, and 14 other IG's.

And in case you are wondering about the vital role each independent Inspector General has: The role was created by the IG Act of 1978 to prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse, and misconduct. They audit, inspect, evaluate, and investigate, then report findings to the agency head and Congress, and refer crimes to DOJ.
See you on October 18 at "No Kings".

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