🔗 Share this article American Airports Reject Homeland Security Video Faulting Democratic Party for Government Shutdown A number of key global airports across the America, among them Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas in NC, have opted to prevent a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that faults Democratic lawmakers for the continuing government closure from airing at their checkpoint areas. Legal Concerns Cited by Aviation Officials Airport officials in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester, New York have refused to display the video content at security checkpoints, stating that the political statements could contravene federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which forbids federal employees from participating in partisan actions. “Democratic legislators decline to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our activities are impacted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration workers are working without pay,” the Secretary remarked in the video. Portland Response The Port of Portland explained that it “would not agree to playing the video in its present version, as we consider the Hatch Act explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for political purposes.” The port further stated that state regulations in Oregon bars government staff from promoting or opposing any party affiliation and that consenting to play this video would break state law. Harry Reid International Position Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also refused to show the TSA video on comparable reasons, stating in a release that “the video's message contained partisan statements that did not align with the neutral, educational purpose of the PSAs usually shown at security checkpoints” and also referenced the federal act. Understanding the Hatch Act The Hatch Act is a federal law that prohibits political activities by government employees to ensure that government programs remain non-partisan. Further Authority Rejections Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport stated that it “refused to post the PSA” to stay “consistent with airport guidelines,” which does not allow partisan material. The Seattle port authority, which operates Sea-Tac airport, similarly refused, pointing to “the partisan tone of the video.” Charlotte airport said that North Carolina local regulations and the airport's rules for screen content “do not allow the referenced video.” The authority also added that the TSA lacks ownership of any screens at its checkpoints and that its few digital screens are reserved for wayfinding, travel information, and revenue-generating services. Westchester Criticism Westchester County, in a statement, called the PSA “inappropriate, unacceptable, and out of line with the standards we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.” “The public service announcement makes political the effects of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county executive stated, adding that the message was “overly alarming” and “undermines public trust.” DHS Response A Department of Homeland Security official, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated the Secretary's wording to blame “political gamesmanship” in a response, stating that “Democrats will shortly recognize the importance of opening the government.” Bipartisan Calls for Resolution The Port of Seattle commented that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to resolve the government shutdown” and was striving to identify methods to support federal employees working without pay during the shutdown.