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Oklahoma airports will not show partisan video addressing federal shutdown

Travelers lining up to go through security at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.
Will Rogers World Airport
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Travelers lining up to go through security at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.

As the federal government shutdown enters its third week, Oklahoma's two largest airports aren't playing a controversial video blaming Democrats for the lapse in appropriations.

Democrats in Congress have refused to pass a bill to fund the government that does not include subsidies for the Affordable Care Act marketplace, which provides health insurance for around 24 million Americans. Senate Republicans have refused to budge, resulting in nine failed votes on the bill so far.

This week, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem distributed a video to be played in airport security lines, across the country, blaming Democrats for travel delays during the shutdown.

"We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel," Noem says in the video. "And our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government."

Some experts say the video violates the Hatch Act, a federal law banning executive officials from using their titles for partisan activities. It also bans the use of federal resources to help or harm individual political parties.

Along with dozens of airports across the country, Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City is not displaying the video.

"We are not showing the video and our local TSA has not asked us to do so either," airport spokesperson Stacey Hamm said in an email.

Hamm said the shutdown hasn't affected staffing at Will Rogers and the airport is operating smoothly.

Multiple news outlets report Tulsa International Airport also won't air Noem's message.


This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.

Graycen Wheeler is a reporter covering water issues at KOSU.
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