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Got a Valentine from my Senator [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-02-14
February 14, 2025 Dear Barbara: Thank you for contacting me about Elon Musk, the so-called "Department of Government Efficiency," and the Stop the Steal Act (S. 490). I appreciate hearing from you. The Stop the Steal Act, introduced by Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, would prevent special government employees from accessing the private data of millions of Americans. Since President Trump was inaugurated on January 20, 2025, he has worked to spread chaos within the federal government. He has enlisted Elon Musk, the world's richest man, to lead the so-called "Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) in rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse at federal agencies. Mr. Musk is an unpaid special government employee, which is a type of federal employee typically brought on to offer subject matter expertise on specific projects within the executive branch. Special government employees are required to comply with federal ethics rules and are prohibited from taking actions that may benefit themselves or their families unless they obtain a waiver. Under the guise of "DOGE," which is not a department of the federal government, Mr. Musk and his staff are working to access sensitive information—including Americans’ private data—within various federal agencies, such as the Department of Treasury, the United States Agency for International Development, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Department of Education, and more. Mr. Musk oversees several multibillion-dollar corporations, some of which have contracts with the federal government or previously were under investigation by federal agencies. While Mr. Musk reportedly will file a financial disclosure, this information will not be made available to the public—meaning there is little to no way to tell whether Mr. Musk is acting in the best interest of the American taxpayer, or the best interest of himself and his companies. There are many ways to enhance the federal government to improve the lives of the American people. For example, providing adequate support to the Social Security Administration and its workforce to help cut down on wait times, or supporting the Internal Revenue Service so taxpayers can receive their refunds quicker. But changes like these must be done in a lawful manner that protects the privacy of Americans and maintains constitutional checks and balances. The Trump Administration and Mr. Musk are attempting to flood the zone through various executive actions to test the limits of executive power. And President Trump is doing all of this to clear the way for a multitrillion-dollar tax scam that showers the wealthy and well-connected with tax breaks at the expense of working families. The Stop the Steal Act has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee. Although I am not a member of this committee, I will be sure to keep your views in mind should this bill come before the full Senate for consideration. Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to keep in touch.
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