# OSC Warns Agencies on Hatch Act Messaging

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has determined that several federal agencies violated the Hatch Act by posting partisan messages during the recent government shutdown that attributed blame to Democrats. While OSC will not impose disciplinary actions due to agencies relying on OSC's own guidance, it issued a clear warning against the use of derogatory political messaging in future communications to maintain compliance with Hatch Act provisions.

- **Why this matters:** Federal agencies must carefully review their public communications to avoid partisan or derogatory content that could violate the Hatch Act, which governs political activity by government employees.
- Procurement professionals should ensure that messaging related to contract announcements, solicitations, or agency operations remains neutral and compliant to prevent reputational or legal risks.
- Contractors and vendors should be aware that agency communications are subject to Hatch Act scrutiny, which may influence how procurement-related information is disseminated.
- This development underscores the importance of training and oversight on political activity restrictions within federal agencies to safeguard procurement integrity and public trust.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Professional Services
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 27, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC)

### Key Quotes
> OSC found agencies violated the Hatch Act by posting messages during the shutdown which blamed the shutdown on Democrats, but isn't going to pursue the matter any further because the agencies were relying on outside authority (which came from OSC).
> — Original poster

### Sources
- [Watchdog won’t discipline agencies over partisan shutdown posts but warns against ‘derogatory’ messaging (Hatch Act)](https://www.reddit.com/r/fednews/comments/1wrttfn/watchdog_wont_discipline_agencies_over_partisan) - reddit-fednews