Government Shutdown Blame Game: Democrats Star in Autoreply Saga
Since the shutdown rolled in on Wednesday, federal agencies like the Department of Labor and HHS have weaponized their out-of-office emails as political battlegrounds, blaming Democrat senators for blocking H.R. 5371, passed Sept. 19 to keep government funded until Nov. 20. Thanks to these fury-filled autoreplies — encouraged by the Trump administration and echoed by the Small Business Administration (which warned 36 million small businesses might starve without $170 million daily in frozen loans) — Public Citizen claims we've accidentally landed in Hatch Act violation territory, aka 'when your out-of-office message looks like a campaign ad.' Meanwhile, Press inboxes get milked dry with 'due to Democrat shutdown' excuses and the White House offers ghost-voicemail replies. If lobbying by autoreply was a sport, we just found the gold medalist.
Share the Story
Congress can't agree on funding, so federal employees got stuck sending passive-aggressive autoresponders that basically read 'Democrats ruined my day, back when hell freezes over.' Even the Anti-Lobbying Act was like, 'Uh guys, tone it down?'
Nothing says professionalism like a government email blaming one party so hard it might as well have "Paid Political Advertisement" stamped on it. Hatch Act who?!
When your job is temporarily ending but your out-of-office, apparently, is just front-line political warfare. Email templates turning feds into reluctant campaign managers since 2025.
Source: Axios | Published: 10/2/2025 | Author: Rebecca Falconer
More Articles in Politics
Senate’s Weekend Homework: Ending Shutdown Like It’s Rocket Science
Trump’s $2K Tariff Gift: Debt Slashing or Legal Dumpster Fire?
Trump’s $2,000 Tariff Giveaway — Except If You’re Rich, Obviously
Shutdown Blocks $5B Weapons—NATO Left Holding Missiles
BBC Edits Trump Speech Like Prison Riot Director
