It didn’t take long for this present administration to wreck our government. We have an unelected man in the White House who is wrecking our democracy and another man who thinks he is a “king.” This is like watching two kids play dress up, but it’s not fun and games. It is dead serious, unheard o,f and deeply troubling. Elon Musk has influenced decisions that are hurting everyday Americans from cutting off aid to save his own tax bill to pressuring Federal employees into resigning. These are not minor administrative changes but a part of a full-scale takeover. Musk is unaccountable in his actions to control public speaking, dismantle the safety net, and reshape our way of life to suit his interests. It’s pretty clear that Musk and Trump are out to replace qualified civil servants with political allies whose loyalty lies solely with them. This is the actions of a dictator.
Elon Musk is using his platform to spread white supremacist rhetoric that is being celebrated by white nationalist groups. He played a major role in the decision to pardon the violent January 6th insurrectionists and practiced a narrative to rewrite the history of that violent day. Trump has handed Musk unparalleled access to the highest levels of our government without Senate confirmation or adherence to Federal ethical standards.
This is like putting the fox in the hen house. Trump, who recently suggested he’s a king, has decimated the ethics oversight function of the government by firing inspectors general as well as the director of the Office of Government Ethics, and Musk has been less than transparent about what he’s doing. Musk has countless conflicts of interest and there is no one to oversee his actions to use his Trump-given power to benefit himself. Musk’s businesses, Tesla, SpaceX, and others have been investigated or fined by dozens of regulatory agencies, including Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Aviation Administration. Trump fired key ethics and corruption watchdogs, including the head of the Office of Government Ethics and at least 18 agency watchdogs known as inspectors general who have long monitored the waste, fund, and abuse in spending. Overall, six Musk companies have been investigated or fined 32 times by 11 agencies, according to the New York Times, raising more red flags about potential conflicts involving Musk’s businesses. The financial gain for Musk’s business has already created a conflict of interest that has profited SpaceX and Tesla by an $18 Billion Federal contract from NASA.
We are witnessing the most corrupt bargain in American history. Musk spent over $280 million to buy this president, and in return, Trump handed him the keys to the Federal government. Their abuse of power to access the personal information of the American people is to further enrich and empower the ultra-wealthy at the expense of the American people.
Trump and Musk banned workers from entering the USAID offices and doubled down on a foreign aid freeze that prevents USAID employees from doing life-saving work around the world. Make no mistake: Elon Musk’s effort to dismantle USAID is a gift to China, Russia, and our other adversaries.
USAID is not the only place we’re witnessing Musk’s takeover efforts. Trump has handed Elon Musk access to Americans’ personal, private data ranging from Social Security numbers to your bank account information. By providing Musk and his cronies access to the Treasury Department, Trump has put the confidential information of millions of Americans at risk. This information is now in the hands of Elon Musk, an unelected billionaire, and his DOGE minions. While a court just restricted their use of this sensitive information, they can still do enormous harm to the privacy and other important interests of the American people.
How do we stop this insane attack on our government? We sue. It has to go to the courts. Trump is not a king. He is a government employee who works for the American people. Elon Musk is not an elected official but a private citizen. What they are doing is illegal. Many lawsuits have already been filed and one in particular is important. It was filed by Public Citizen on behalf of three Plaintiffs, the Alliance for Retired Americans, the American Federation of Government and Employees, and Service Employees International Union. This suit alleges that the personal and private financial information was illegally accessed. The Public Citizen lawsuit names as Defendants the Treasury, its Secretary, and the Bureau of Fiscal Services, which granted access and even admin rights to Musk’s team. The lawsuit goes after these Defendants in particular because, if ordered by a court, they are the ones that have the power to revoke their access.
In the meantime, we can write to our representatives. I know you are rolling your eyes and thinking….”Really?” We still have Democrats in Congress who are fighting this. It goes without saying that Tommy Tuberville is a waste of a stamp, and Robert Aderholt may be a deadbeat to even talk to, but we have other Democrats who need to hear from us.
Let’s do it!!!
Lynda Kirkpatrick
Marion County Democratic Party Chair
Vice Chair Alabama Democratic County Chair Association District 4
House District 17 State Democratic Executive Committee Alabama Democratic Party
Alabama Democratic County Chair Association Communications Committee