HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Some major airports across the country, including in Hawaii, are opting not to play a new video of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at TSA screening checkpoints.
The video shows Noem on camera blaming Democrats for the federal government shutdown that began on Oct. 1.
“Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay,” Noem says in the video.
A Hawaii Department of Transportation spokesperson responded to HNN’s request for comment, saying, “We verified that the Secretary Noem video is not playing at Hawaii checkpoints. Videos airing in the screening area are meant to direct people through the security screening process. HDOT is focused on airing videos that aid travelers at our commercial airports.”
State Reps. Darius Kila and Tyson Miyake wrote a letter to DOT director Ed Sniffen regarding the video.
The letter read in part, “Taking a proactive approach in Hawaii ensures that all communications across our transportation network remain focused on public service, safety, and transparency, not political influence. Upholding neutrality protects the integrity of the Department’s operations and maintains public confidence in the essential work of our transportation professionals.”
Some of the other airports not playing the video include Portland, Las Vegas, Atlanta, New York, and Newark.
In many cities, transportation officials are citing the Hatch Act, a law that prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activities to prevent partisanship from getting in the way of government operations.
Full transcript of the TSA video follows:
“It is TSA’s top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe.
However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay.
We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel, and our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”
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