Upstate New York Airport Pulls Krisi Noem TSA Video

The United States Government has officially been shutdown for two weeks. This has caused many to be concerned over lost wages and mental health of those affected by this. Many families are having to go without a paycheck, but essential workers like the TSA and Air Traffic Controllers have to work in order to keep the country safe. This has created some delays at certain airports around the country.

Last week a video featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem began circulating at TSA checkpoints. That video blamed democrats for the shutdown. It had aired at Albany's airport but now airport officials say they've decided to discontinue showing the video.

Albany International Airport clarified why the video ended up being pulled from their rotation at TSA checkpoints after it was on display. In the official statement they say that it goes against their policy on political messaging.

In keeping with longstanding policies of not displaying political messaging or content of any kind, ACAA has made the decision to discontinue airing the video.

Albany International Airport joins the growing list of airports that are refusing to play the video at their security stops. One of the biggest reasons why is that it violates the Hatch Act. You can see a clip of that video below.

What is the Hatch Act?

This was an act passed in 1939 to protect employees working in federal programs. From their official website: "The law’s purposes are to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion, to protect federal employees from political coercion in the workplace, and to ensure that federal employees are advanced based on merit and not based on political affiliation."

The concern that Albany International has with the Noem video and the Hatch act is that it places blame on one side. In their official statement that say this video raises several questions on that long standing act.

...which prohibits engaging in political activity while in an official capacity, including communication that blames, praises, or criticizes a specific political party or figure.

As of now there is no end to the shutdown in sight as both parties cannot come to an agreement. Many experts are now worried that this shutdown could go longer than the one in 2018 that lasted over a month.