BOISE, Idaho — A Department of Homeland Security video playing at TSA checkpoints nationwide has sparked controversy, with critics calling it partisan and potentially illegal under federal law.
The video, which in part states "Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government and because of this many of our operations are impacted," has been directed to play at TSA checkpoints across the country. However, many airports are refusing to air it, citing its partisan content.
"I think it's shocking that the federal government, after all that's happened, is now using federal dollars, taxpayer money to promote a political and very partisan message," said Idaho Minority Leader Senator Melissa Wintrow.
WATCH: Hear from Senator Wintrow about the video and how it may violate the Hatch Act
Wintrow believes the video violates federal law.
"I think what Kristi Noem is doing is not just unethical, it's illegal. It's a violation of the Hatch Act, which was there to provide protections from the federal government from using its office in a partisan way," Wintrow said.
The City of Boise told Idaho News 6 they weren't specifically asked to air the video on their city-owned monitors, which would be against their advertising policies. However, the video did air on a TSA-owned screen last week until it stopped working over the weekend.
"I think Kristi Noem has turned the TSA, something everybody has to experience going on the plane, into a political ad instead of security and I think that's wrong," Wintrow said.
The government shutdown means missed paychecks for many public servants, including TSA employees.
"These are human beings, these are Americans who have done nothing more than to sign up for a job to help their country… to basically hold government employees hostage when they have to put food on their own table and care for their own families I think is outrageous and shameful," Wintrow said.
The government shutdown started two weeks ago, and most TSA agents at the Boise Airport are working without pay.
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