Several airports in California have refused to play a video featuring Dept. of Homeland Security Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for delays due to the federal government shutdown.<\/p>\n
The video, playing for travelers waiting in Transportation Security Administration security lines at airports across the country, comes as the federal government entered a third week of a shutdown after Congress failed to reach an agreement on funding legislation. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is TSA\u2019s top priority to make sure you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe,\u201d Noem says in the video. \u201cHowever, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government and because of this many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Officials at multiple airports in California say they are not playing the video at their locations. They include: John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Hollywood Burbank Airport, San Diego International Airport, San Jose Mineta International Airport, Sacramento International Airport, Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport and San Francisco International Airport. Officials from Los Angeles International Airport did respond to questions on whether the video was being played there. <\/p>\n
Some airport officials have refused to play the video, calling it inappropriate. And on Tuesday, the ranking member of the U.S. Senate\u2019s Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation called for Noem to be investigated for possibly breaking the Hatch Act by asking airports to play the video. <\/p>\n
\u201cRecent reports indicate DHS is using taxpayer dollars and federal assets to produce and air a video message featuring Secretary Noem, in her official capacity, making political attacks against Democratic Members of Congress,\u201d Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, wrote in a letter addressed to the Office of Special Counsel reviewed by The Times. \u201cThis message is not just false; it appears to violate the prohibitions contained in the Hatch Act.\u201d<\/p>\n
The act, according to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, is to \u201censure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion,\u201d as well as protect federal employees from political coercion at work. <\/p>\n
Noem\u2019s video was received by airports on Thursday and was followed up by a verbal request from DHS officials to play it at security checkpoints, multiple airport officials told The Times.<\/p>\n
The reasons the video is not being shown for California fliers varies.<\/p>\n
In Orange County, airport spokesperson AnnaSophia Servin said the DHS requested, to the airport\u2019s director, that the video be played, but a final decision has not yet been made. In Burbank, political messaging is prohibited, officials said. In San Jose, an airport spokesperson said there have not been shutdown impacts so there has been no reason to play the video.<\/p>\n
At San Francisco International Airport, officials there determined the video wasn\u2019t helpful.<\/p>\n
\u201cSFO limits messaging at our security checkpoints to information intended to help passengers be prepared to go through the security screening process,\u201d a spokesperson said in an email. \u201cAny content, whether in video or print form, which does not meet this standard, will not be shown.\u201d<\/p>\n
When The Times asked DHS officials to respond to airports not playing Noem\u2019s video, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin responded with Noem\u2019s video statement blaming Democrats.<\/p>\n
But California airports aren\u2019t the only locations choosing not to play Noem\u2019s message. <\/p>\n
Airports in Oregon, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Atlanta, Phoenix, Seattle have also opted not to play it<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe 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,\u201d said Molly Prescott, a spokesperson for the Port of Portland, which manages Portland International Airport, said in a statement. <\/p>\n Oregon law also prohibits public employees from politicking on the job. <\/p>\n \u201cWe believe consenting to playing this video on Port assets would violate Oregon law,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n Officials in New York also pushed back against airing the video. <\/p>\n \u201cIt is inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we expect from our nation\u2019s top public officials,\u201d New York\u2019s Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkings said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cThe [Public Service Announcement] politicizes the impacts of a federal government shutdown on TSA Operations, and the County finds the tone to be unnecessarily alarmist.\u201d<\/p>\n