Editing federal employees’ emails to blame Democrats for shutdown violated their First Amendment rights, judge says
Source: cnn
Editing federal employees’ emails to blame Democrats for shutdown violated their First Amendment rights, judge says
Source: cnn
11 Comments
A federal judge ruled Friday that the Department of Education [violated the First Amendment rights of some agency employees](https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/07/politics/emails-blaming-democrats-shutdown-violate-first-amendment) when it sent out-of-office messages on their behalf that blamed Democrats for the government shutdown.
The ruling from US District Judge Christopher Cooper is the latest court rebuke of controversial moves by the Trump administration during what has now become the longest shutdown in US history.
Cooper, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, said the department had unconstitutionally compelled its employees’ speech when it tinkered with the out-of-office messages for furloughed workers so that they included language blaming the shutdown on “Democrat Senators” who “are blocking” passage of a “clean continuing resolution” that would fund the government.
“Nonpartisanship is the bedrock of the federal civil service; it ensures that career government employees serve the public, not the politicians,” Cooper wrote. “But by commandeering its employees’ e-mail accounts to broadcast partisan messages, the Department chisels away at that foundation.”
He continued: “Political officials are free to blame whomever they wish for the shutdown, but they cannot use rank-and-file civil servants as their unwilling spokespeople. The First Amendment stands in their way. The Department’s conduct therefore must cease.”
No wonder when I went on a government website today it didn’t bombard me with how the democrats are Satan worshippers
And?
No real punishment.
I don’t really get how the punishment for violating the 1st amendment rights of others is “don’t do that anymore.” Every employee should get paid serious cash money for such a partisan hack move.
Violated the constitution, let’s start calling it what it is anytime these fucks violate your rights.
BREAKING:This administration doesn’t care.
Add it to the pile
At some point the wilful disregard for the law should be taken as not accidents but intentional and habitual.
We are leaving the door open and the criminals are coming in and doing what they want, and we are asking them to please not.
At some point you have to kick them out and close the fucking door.
The judiciary needs to have the teeth to compel by force or eject those who knowingly and willfully disregard our laws, freedoms, and inalienable rights enshrined in the constitution.
… And the consequences are… Nothing
Dump will appeal and MAGA SCOTUS will just overturn the ruling. Our democracy is dying in real time
We’ve had some states do the same blaming republicans. Cash money all around nice 💵💵💵