Several federal departments and agencies posted partisan messages on their websites and in out-of-office emails during the shutdown. Democrats believe the posts violate federal law.

A group of Senate Democrats is pushing for an investigation into the Trump administration’s use of federal agency websites and emails to post partisan messages blaming Democrats for the government shutdown.

In a letter obtained by NBC News, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and other Democrats ask the Government Accountability Office to open a probe into whether the political messages violated federal appropriations laws.

The lawmakers point specifically to a rule that prohibits the executive branch from using funds for “purely partisan” purposes. They are asking for more information from the GAO to see if several agencies violated laws that pertain to ethics and partisan political activity.

  • Bronzebeard@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    44
    ·
    3 hours ago

    While that’s bad, can we focus on the LITERAL TREASON happening in front of us?

    Or the wanton murder off the coast of Venezuela.

    Or the abduction of Americans of the streets.

  • henfredemars@infosec.pub
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    26
    arrow-down
    5
    ·
    edit-2
    3 hours ago

    No, it is the Democrats fault for the shutdown in a way (hear me out). Those messages are illegal but they are kinda right. By choosing to cave and getting virtually nothing in exchange, the DNC cemented the complete uselessness of the grandstanding act. Together with the Republicans they are responsible for unnecessary suffering because they folded like a cheap suit. What was even the point? Why not just give Republicans whatever they want from the beginning if you’re going to bend over and gleefully call them daddy?

    It was a daring strategy, but now I wish you had never even tried. Now you think you’re going to fight them in court? These people don’t give a shit about the law. You’re just going to keep getting fucked harder. Nicely done. I guess the party is getting exactly what they want.

    I apologize dear reader but I am angry.

    • Randomgal@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      1 hour ago

      Kind crazy that this happens every time but people still think it’s not the working as intended.

      Stop having faith in Democrats. Billionaires in blue aren’t going to save you from billionaires in red

    • TheRealKuni@piefed.social
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      15
      ·
      edit-2
      3 hours ago

      Do we have a list of the senators who caved? I want to see if I need to primary somebody.

      Edit: Here is the list:

      • Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada
      • Dick Durbin, D-Illinois
      • John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania
      • Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire
      • Tim Kaine, D-Virginia
      • Angus King, I-Maine
      • Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada
      • Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire
    • thesohoriots@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      2 hours ago

      My thoughts exactly. They got, what, a “yeah we might vote on those subsidies” at best, with Johnson saying “nah, I won’t even bring that to a vote lol” and now those ACA marketplace plans are expensive as hell, which was the exact thing they were supposed to be against. Shot themselves in the dick once again. Did the success of last week give them the confidence to do it? Jesus fuck they never learn.

    • Maeve@kbin.earth
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      2 hours ago

      That is the point of controlled oppo. So this kind of stuff is distraction, so you don’t start putting puzzling pieces of data together to form a more complete picture. I imagine an honest person with the proper skills can easily write a script to model a decent approximation.

    • floofloof@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      14
      ·
      3 hours ago

      Not a problem for Trump any more now that the Democrats have caved entirely to the Republicans.

  • Leonyx@kbin.melroy.org
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    2 hours ago

    Watch for the inevitable unsurprising fact that, there were actual violations. Because this admin cannot go an hour without violating something.