FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Some airports across the country are refusing to play a video that includes a message from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats. federal government shutdown How political content affects TSA operations.
Airports including Las Vegas, Charlotte, Atlanta, Phoenix and Seattle claim the video violates airport policies and regulations that prohibit political messages on their premises.
Various government agencies have adopted the following in their emails to workers and on their websites: Words that criticize the Democratic Party Some experts say the closure could violate the 1939 Hatch Act, which restricts certain political activities by federal employees.
Shutdowns halt daily operations; The airport leaves in a scrambled state. Due to flight turbulence. Democrats say any deal to reopen the government must address health care needs, and Republicans say they won’t negotiate until they agree to fund the government. If Congress fails to renew the subsidy payments, which expire Dec. 31, premiums will double.
Noem said in the video that TSA’s “number one priority” is to help passengers travel comfortably and efficiently while keeping them safe.
“However, Congressional Democrats are refusing to fund the federal government, so many of our operations have been affected and most TSA employees are working without pay,” she continued.
The Transportation Security Administration is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security. About 61,000 of the agency’s 64,130 employees will be required to continue working during the closure. The ministry announced Friday that the video is being rolled out to airports across the country.
In response to a request for comment, a DHS spokesperson restated some of the message from Noem’s video.
Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said, “It is unfortunate that political maneuvering has put our employees in this position. We hope that the Democratic Party will soon recognize the importance of opening up the government.”
“We must continue to be mindful of the limitations of the Hatch Act,” said Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.
“Per airport regulations, the terminal and surrounding area are not designated as public spaces, and the airport’s intention is to avoid the use of the facility for political or religious advocacy,” the statement said.
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said the county north of New York City would not play the video at its local airport. In a statement, he called the video “inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values expected of our nation’s top public officials,” and called the tone “unnecessarily alarmist” as it relates to Westchester County Airport operations.
“At a time when we should be focused on ensuring stability, cooperation and preparedness, these types of messages only distract from the real issues and undermine public trust,” he said.
Even in red states, airports were not showing video for various reasons. Salt Lake City International Airport did not play the video because state law prohibits using city-owned property for political purposes, airport spokeswoman Nancy Vollmer said.
Although the Billings, Montana, airport has screens that can display video with audio, “we politely declined,” Assistant Aviation Administrator Paul Kela said Tuesday.
“We don’t want to get in the middle of partisan politics,” Kela said. “We like being in the middle of the road and didn’t want to play that video.” ___
Associated Press writers Rio Yamat in Las Vegas and Mead Gruber in Fort Collins, Colorado, contributed to this report.
