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Wicked Blue

(7,271 posts)
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 02:40 PM Feb 3

Musk is a 'special government employee,' the White House confirms

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Elon Musk is working for President Donald Trump as a “special government employee,” according to a White House official, solidifying his controversial role in the administration but sidestepping some disclosure rules that are typical of federal workers.

The official, speaking Monday on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters, said that Musk has a government email address and office space in the White House complex.

Musk, the world’s richest man, has been granted broad latitude by Trump to reduce the size of the federal government. On Monday morning, the headquarters of the U.S. Agency for International Development was abruptly shut down. Musk’s team, known as the Department of Government Efficiency, also has received access to sensitive payment systems at the U.S. Treasury Department.

Democrats fear that Musk is consolidating power within the federal government, acting without accountability and potentially against the law.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-21153a742fbad86284369bb173ec343c

53 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Musk is a 'special government employee,' the White House confirms (Original Post) Wicked Blue Feb 3 OP
Drug test him Blues Heron Feb 3 #1
And when that's done put him thru a security clearance (which he'd never pass!). mpcamb Feb 3 #24
Musk is a greedy evil man.... Lovie777 Feb 3 #2
Nazi gangster. Magoo48 Feb 3 #14
He's special alright. Special, drug addled, horse's ass. Joinfortmill Feb 3 #3
WTF? vapor2 Feb 3 #4
Trump is his stooge. OMGWTF Feb 3 #23
i saw an article yesterday (wapo? nytimes? guardian?) that said musk had ts clearance but not the higher one nt orleans Feb 3 #43
Well now, What is he being bluestarone Feb 3 #5
Probably Billions... Justice matters. Feb 3 #21
"Democrats fear..." Pretty clear example of AP bias there Prairie Gates Feb 3 #6
Media outlets are obeying their corporate masters Wicked Blue Feb 3 #7
Media Rebl2 Feb 3 #25
I'll add gypsy11 Feb 3 #33
I've been noting this about AP since the Iraq War AZJonnie Tuesday #51
I looked into this designation, and it looks ripe for abuse. Native Feb 3 #8
We don't have a "special government" dweller Feb 3 #9
It's a "special government operation", like... LudwigPastorius Feb 3 #18
So, "some Whitehouse official" says Buddyzbuddy Feb 3 #10
Don't forget the Secret Decoder Ring! Wicked Blue Feb 3 #11
When I worked for the federal gov't ... SomewhereInTheMiddle Tuesday #50
Ah, the co-president. Is he set up next to the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office? Hekate Feb 3 #12
This message was self-deleted by its author NameAlreadyTaken Feb 3 #46
Been in Federal HR for 15 years, never heard of that type of employee steelyboo Feb 3 #13
Any business which sees him coming should lock all doors and shut down all systems. Magoo48 Feb 3 #15
I bet the group of overgrown teenagers he sent in to rape the servers aren't 'special gov't employees'. Native Feb 3 #16
If he's an employee that means he's getting paid something. LudwigPastorius Feb 3 #17
This is fucking insanity... EarthFirst Feb 3 #19
Show us the paperwork... ultralite001 Feb 3 #20
You work for us you moron. IcyPeas Feb 3 #22
Did anyone do a criminal background check on him? tanyev Feb 3 #26
Who administered the oath to him? When and where, specifically, did he swear or affirm to support the Constitution? rsdsharp Feb 3 #27
What does that even mean? Jilly_in_VA Feb 3 #28
No "potential" about this being illegal. intheflow Feb 3 #29
Imagine for a moment if Joe Biden had made George Soros a "special government employee".... Blue Owl Feb 3 #30
Yup, pretty much crickets sakabatou Feb 3 #32
Dump makes shit up, throws it at the wall, see what sticks sakabatou Feb 3 #31
So is Elon the acting President HipChick Feb 3 #34
YES Skittles Feb 3 #37
He's not a special government employee, he a billionaire with a huge conflict of interest Galraedia Feb 3 #35
this part Skittles Feb 3 #36
Then he has to step down from his companies TimeToGo Feb 3 #38
Good point.. HipChick Feb 3 #39
That is a problem TimeToGo Feb 3 #40
Crock of shit title for a crock of shit agency by a crock of shit president. Solly Mack Feb 3 #41
Pathetic last-minute attempt at covering his ass. Karasu Feb 3 #42
potentially against the law? Nt Figarosmom Feb 3 #44
Oh he's "special" allright. Ketamine will do that to a person. CaptainTruth Feb 3 #45
When did he take the oath of office? COL Mustard Feb 3 #47
No. no he isn't. he is one of those criminal illegal immigrants you are always yammering about. travelingthrulife Tuesday #48
Message auto-removed Name removed Tuesday #49
AKA TRUMP'S OWNER Skittles Tuesday #52
No. HarryM Tuesday #53

Justice matters.

(7,816 posts)
21. Probably Billions...
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 03:45 PM
Feb 3

Off the records by Putin and Xi, his business partners.

Already cashed in, with promises of more to come on delivery of classified documents and 300+ million personal data?

If there still was a Rule of Law for the well offs and connected, him and his band of engineering gangsters would be rounded up and charged after Grand Jury proceeding ASAP.

Only the rubes must follow the Rule of Law now.

The now lawless and immune POTUS has dictated.

Prairie Gates

(3,991 posts)
6. "Democrats fear..." Pretty clear example of AP bias there
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 02:50 PM
Feb 3

The word out from the Trump press shops is to paint Democrats as shocked and fearful. The press goes along with this framing. Notice the subtle difference:

Democrats fear that Musk is consolidating power within the federal government, acting without accountability and potentially against the law.

Democrats suspect that Musk is consolidating power within the federal government, acting without accountability and potentially against the law.

Democrats allege that Musk is consolidating power within the federal government, acting without accountability and potentially against the law.

The first one paints the Democrats as weak and fearful. The second makes their their position one of suspicion, which rightly casts Musks actions and role as something that should be verified. The third is probably the m ost "neutral," even if alleging is something you do to a criminal.

But fear is certainly an extremely Trump friendly way of framing the action. Trump wants to be seen as a feared strongman. Representing the Democrats as fearing is Trump branded copy.

Rebl2

(15,492 posts)
25. Media
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 05:42 PM
Feb 3

outlets/reporters need to get a spine, balls whatever you want to call it and call out musk and trump and all his goons in great detail 😡

AZJonnie

(285 posts)
51. I've been noting this about AP since the Iraq War
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 02:16 AM
Tuesday

Always a subtle bias against Dems and Liberals. Verbiage like this, the whole beginning of articles (and paragraphs) laying out the preferred right-wing point/angle first, and then meekly laying out the counter-arguments at the end, that kind of shit. You can spot this tendency in almost any AP article, and it has been obvious to me for a LONG time.

dweller

(25,567 posts)
9. We don't have a "special government"
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 02:58 PM
Feb 3

We have a UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT !
and eloon skum (N - ZA) is not an employee of it

Try again , Pisswig



✌🏻

Buddyzbuddy

(316 posts)
10. So, "some Whitehouse official" says
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 03:00 PM
Feb 3

Leon is "a special government employee," and the proof is he has an email and an office in what is now referred to as "the Whitehouse complex."
Well, that's different. As long as you "vouch" for him, that'll work. Question. Did you also show him the super, super secret, Our Gang, aka little rascals, handshake.
See, nothing to worry about.

50. When I worked for the federal gov't ...
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 02:12 AM
Tuesday

I knew lots of contractors with .gov and .mil emails and offices in federal buildings. I even managed some. They were not federal employees. Their rules were different.

And an anonymous source with that as evidence is not terribly credible to me. Trump has a history of blurring the lines between private staff/advisors and federal employees. I think this likely falls into that category. Musk is very likely a "special" advisor (unpaid) not a federal employee.

What this means in terms of rights, powers, and oversight likely falls somewhere between what Trump claims and what the courts allow.

But who bells the cat?

Response to Hekate (Reply #12)

steelyboo

(393 posts)
13. Been in Federal HR for 15 years, never heard of that type of employee
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 03:12 PM
Feb 3

Are the SES (which would require Congressional Approval)? Maybe a GS (what grade? Where was it announced? What was the Area of Consideration?)

What does his PD indicate? What title, series, grade, pay plan?

These dipshits act like no one else ever worked for the government, and they can just use smoke and mirrors.

LudwigPastorius

(11,551 posts)
17. If he's an employee that means he's getting paid something.
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 03:22 PM
Feb 3

Your tax dollars paying the richest man in the world to tear down the government.

Time for a giant meteor to reset the planet.

EarthFirst

(3,379 posts)
19. This is fucking insanity...
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 03:26 PM
Feb 3

Where’s the fucking guardrail to prevent this?

Who becomes the next ‘special government employee’ with zero accountability to access the very foundations of how the government operates?

When does this end?

ultralite001

(1,331 posts)
20. Show us the paperwork...
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 03:31 PM
Feb 3

A wink + a nod won't cut it...

Heck... Not even a handshake is good enough...

If F47 + the Musketeer have an employment agreement, Americans have the right to see it...

tanyev

(45,275 posts)
26. Did anyone do a criminal background check on him?
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 05:45 PM
Feb 3

Drug testing? That was standard protocol for the local government jobs I’ve had.

intheflow

(29,279 posts)
29. No "potential" about this being illegal.
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 06:48 PM
Feb 3

Fuck you, lamestream media! It’s wildly illegal on so many levels. Just because Trump says it’s true doesn’t mean it is true; in fact, it almost certainly means it’s illegal. He’s a felon, ffs! I wish the press would start acting like it.

Blue Owl

(55,210 posts)
30. Imagine for a moment if Joe Biden had made George Soros a "special government employee"....
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 06:59 PM
Feb 3

The M$M and MAGA would have had a level 5 nuclear meltdown!

But if Donny does it -- just another day at the office....

Galraedia

(5,248 posts)
35. He's not a special government employee, he a billionaire with a huge conflict of interest
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 09:05 PM
Feb 3

whose companies benefit largely from taxpayer subsidies. The shear fact that this man even has an office in the White House is utterly insane. This is so blatantly and utterly corrupt. He is undermining congress and the law.

COL Mustard

(7,168 posts)
47. When did he take the oath of office?
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 11:10 PM
Feb 3

It's required by Article VI of the Constitution. I've taken it several times. Has he? If not, he's not really a Federal employee, more like a 5-year old with a Deputy Sheriff badge who wants to arrest somebody.

Response to Wicked Blue (Original post)

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