Democrats take legal aim at "the Radical Left" language during shutdown

There are brewing legal fights against the Trump administration for language it's posting on federal websites and in government emails blaming the Democrats for the government shutdown.

The controversy centers on language posted at the top of federal agency websites and in some automated email responses. They warn the public responses could be slow due to "the Radical Left Democrat Shutdown." Democrats and a union representing federal workers argue the language violates the 1939 Hatch Act, which bars employees of the executive branch from doing anything partisan while at work.

In a complaint filed with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, former Idaho Democratic state legislator Todd Achilles argues the language is a prohibited political message on public infrastructure.

"I filed the com