Security lines at airports may feature a new message on television screens among the many reminders: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown. Already, several airports have declined to display the video in which Noem assures travelers that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is trying to keep delays at bay.
The video is expected to roll out in the nation’s 5,000 public airports, according to Fox News. In it, Noem asks travelers to be mindful of possible delays as TSA officers work the screening lines without pay. Her message takes a turn to blame Democrats for the closure and lack of pay, according to the video, which Fox News first obtained.
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“However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government,” Noem said in the video. “And because of this, many of our operations are impacted and most of our TSA employees are working without pay. 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.”
The Senate has failed seven times to pass a spending bill as both Democrats and Republicans pushed to have their legislation sent to President Donald Trump’s desk. In order for a spending bill to pass in the chamber, it must have 60 votes in favor.
Neither Homeland Security nor TSA officials immediately responded to Straight Arrow News’ request for comment.
Ethics concerns
Noem’s message brought up concerns about whether the video violates the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in many partisan political activities. The Port of Portland, which operates the Portland International Airport in Oregon, told Oregon Live the message won’t be shown at the airport as it could violate state and federal laws on politicking.
“We did not consent to playing the video in its current form, as we believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes and messaging,” spokesperson Molly Prescott told the newspaper. “Additionally, Oregon law states no public employee can promote or oppose any political committee, party, or affiliation.”
It’s the latest move the Trump administration made that has raised concerns about Hatch Act violations. In the shutdown’s first week, employees revealed to SAN that their out-of-office email messages were changed unbeknownst to them, which blamed Democrats for the shutdown.
Additional airports decline to broadcast video
The Portland airport isn’t alone in choosing not to show Noem’s video. According to The Washington Post, airports in Arizona and New York aren’t showing the video.
Seeing a video from the secretary isn’t a new concept, as they have issued reminders to people about security updates, permissible liquids and other instructions as passengers approach the checkpoints.
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said in a statement on the New York county’s website that Noem’s video was to replace the REAL ID reminder video. He called the new video “inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent” with what people expect from the nation’s leaders. The video, he said, politicized the impact the shutdown has on TSA’s security operations.
“At a time when we should be focused on ensuring stability, collaboration and preparedness, this type of messaging only distracts from the real issues, and undermines public trust,” Jenkins said. “As County Executive, I believe our residents deserve clear, honest and nonpartisan communication — especially when it comes to national security, government shutdown impacts, and public safety.”
The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport also declined to air the message, according to The Washington Post.
The Niagara Falls Transportation Authority (NFTA), which operates the Buffalo Niagara and the Niagara Falls International airports in New York along the Canadian border, told WGRZ-TV, Buffalo’s NBC affiliate, it won’t display the message.
A spokesperson told the station that the NFTA has a policy against broadcasting partisan messaging in its facilities. “Therefore, we are not airing this video on airport-controlled screens,” the spokesperson said.
TSA officers working without pay
Due to their classifications as essential employees, TSA officers and air traffic controllers must keep working through the shutdown without pay. Hundreds of officers have called out sick since the shutdown started, Forbes reported, resulting in longer security lines.
TSA acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill sent a memo to staff Thursday, blaming Democrats for the shutdown and noting that “small percentages of our colleagues” are calling out for illegitimate purposes, Forbes later reported.
“This is disappointing, does not reflect the values of TSA, and saddles other hard-working Officers forced to pick up the slack,” McNeill wrote. Workers told Forbes they feared her letter implied that employees would face retaliation and disagreed with the politicized nature of it.
Chad Kendall, a Federal Aviation Administration chief instructor at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, told the business magazine that TSA officers often seek employment elsewhere as they need to pay bills and feed their families.
“For those that are in charge of the security and safety of our airports, that language is uncalled for,” Kendall said.
