The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed federal employees to use out-of-office email messages blaming "Democrat Senators" for the government shutdown. Templates provided to departments like Labor, Justice, and Education explicitly cited "Democrat Senators" blocking a resolution, leading to furloughs. Some employees reported these messages were automatically applied without consent, sparking concerns about Hatch Act violations and the neutrality of government service. The White House press office and State Department also employed similar messaging.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.