The letter cites all of these examples as evidence and was signed by 11 other Democratic senators: Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland; Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut; Cory Booker and Andy Kim of New Jersey; Kirsten Gillibrand of New York; Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff of California; Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware; Tina Smith of Minnesota; and Ron Wyden of Oregon.
The group is also asking the GAO to make a legal determination about whether out-of-office messages that were changed without federal employees’ consent violate federal laws.
The American Federation of Government Employees filed a lawsuit last month on behalf of the Education Department employees, and a federal judge ruled Friday that the altered partisan language violated their First Amendment rights, deeming the move unconstitutional.
Senate Democrats note in their letter to the GAO that federal law bars agencies from using any appropriated funds “to generate publicity designed to influence Congress in supporting or opposing legislation or appropriations.”
“When agencies violate restrictions on the use of appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda, GAO usually finds that those actions also violate the Antideficiency Act,” the lawmakers write.
They are also asking the GAO to identify any and all officials who were responsible for the decision to post partisan messages related to the shutdown. Beyond that, the senators are seeking the costs associated with the messages, including personnel and technology expenses used at each applicable agency.
Lastly, the Democrats are asking the GAO whether the ongoing shutdown might impact its ability to decide whether and how any of the relevant regulations were violated.
The GAO is run by the comptroller of the United States, Gene Dodaro, who has served in that position since 2008.
