Several key global air travel hubs across the US, such as Phoenix Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have chosen to restrict a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democratic lawmakers for the current government closure from being shown at their screening locations.
Regulatory Issues Raised by Airport Authorities
Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have declined to display the video content at screening areas, stating that the clearly partisan content could breach federal and state regulations, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which forbids government workers from participating in political campaigning.
“Congressional Democrats refuse to fund the federal government, and as a result, many of our operations are disrupted, and most of our TSA employees are unpaid,” Noem stated in the announcement.
Portland Response
The Port of Portland explained that it “did not consent to playing the video in its current form, as we maintain the federal law clearly prohibits use of public assets for partisan messaging.” The port further stated that Oregon law prohibits government staff from promoting or opposing any party affiliation and that consenting to broadcast this video would break state law.
Las Vegas Statement
Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also refused to show the TSA video on similar grounds, stating in a statement that “the video's message contained partisan statements that did not align with the impartial, informational nature of the PSAs typically shown at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the federal act.
Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations
The Hatch Act of 1939 is a U.S. law that bans political activities by federal employees to guarantee that public services remain non-partisan.
Additional Authority Rejections
- Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport explained that it “declined to display the PSA” to remain “in line with airport policy,” which prohibits partisan material.
- The Port of Seattle, which manages Sea-Tac airport, also refused, pointing to “the partisan tone of the video.”
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that state municipal law and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not permit the referenced video.” The authority also added that the TSA lacks ownership of any monitors at its security areas and that its few digital screens are designated for wayfinding, flight updates, and paid advertisements.
Westchester Criticism
The county, in a statement, described the PSA “inappropriate, unacceptable, and out of line with the standards we expect from our nation’s top public officials.”
“The PSA politicizes the effects of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county leader stated, noting that the tone was “overly alarming” and “undermines customer confidence.”
Homeland Security Response
A Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated Noem’s language to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a statement, adding that “Democrats will shortly realize the importance of reopening the government.”
Bipartisan Calls for Resolution
The Port of Seattle commented that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown” and was striving to find methods to assist federal employees unpaid during the closure.
