Editing federal employees’ emails to blame Democrats for shutdown violated their First Amendment rights, judge says

The U.S. flag and Department of Education flags whip in the wind outside the department's headquarters on March 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A federal judge ruled Friday that the Department of Education violated the First Amendment rights of some agency employees 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 s