Recent reports indicate that several federal agencies, including the Education Department and the U.S. Forest Service, have automatically changed out-of-office email replies to blame Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown. Employees have voiced outrage over these alterations, stating they did not consent to such changes. A watchdog group has filed a complaint under the Hatch Act, questioning the legality of using taxpayer resources for political messaging. Meanwhile, top Democrats in Congress are calling for investigations into these actions, arguing that they may violate federal law by using government platforms to propagate partisan views. The controversy was amplified by the Trump administration, which has been accused of exerting control over messaging related to the shutdown, leading to accusations of unethical practices in government communications.