Multiple airports in Democrat-controlled cities across the country are refusing to show Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s video blaming the federal shutdown on congressional Democrats, The Washington Post reported Monday.
Travelers in seven major airports will not see Noem’s video at TSA checkpoints due to what officials say is the political nature of the Department of Homeland Security chief’s message blaming delays on Democrats.
The airports: Buffalo; Charlotte; Cleveland; Los Angeles; Phoenix; Seattle; and Portland, Oregon.
“We believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes and messaging,” Molly Prescott, a spokesperson for the Port of Portland, which operates Portland International Airport, told the Post.
The Hatch Act is a federal law that prohibits government employees from engaging in certain political activities while performing their official duties. Enacted in 1939, it’s designed to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan manner and that public employees serve all citizens, not political interests.
TSA checkpoints often feature a welcome video from the Homeland Security secretary, typically offering messages about safety and security procedures aimed at travelers.
“It is TSA’s top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible,” Noem says in this particular video, the Post reported. “However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted.”
She adds, “We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel. And our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”
Thousands of TSA agents and other federal employees continue to work without pay as the government shutdown nears the end of its second week.
The impact is being felt across major U.S. airports, where staffing shortages have caused widespread travel disruptions. According to the report, nearly 8,000 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. were delayed Sunday, with 271 canceled. By early Monday afternoon, those numbers had grown to more than 3,900 delays and 475 cancellations nationwide.
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