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 worlds 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. Musks 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

Blues Heron
(6,332 posts)mpcamb
(3,028 posts)Lovie777
(16,398 posts)Nazi
Magoo48
(5,839 posts)Joinfortmill
(17,131 posts)Then why wasn't he vetted? Why does he not have a security clearance? He's a trump stooge
OMGWTF
(4,550 posts)orleans
(35,572 posts)bluestarone
(18,707 posts)Paid?
Justice matters.
(7,816 posts)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)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.
Wicked Blue
(7,271 posts)as usual
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 😡
Dont be afraid, dont give these assholes what they want. Get mad. Get active. Get loud.
AZJonnie
(285 posts)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.
Native
(6,869 posts)of course.
dweller
(25,567 posts)We have a UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT !
and eloon skum (N - ZA) is not an employee of it
Try again , Pisswig
✌🏻
LudwigPastorius
(11,551 posts)the invasion of Ukraine was a "special military operation".
Buddyzbuddy
(316 posts)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.
Wicked Blue
(7,271 posts)SomewhereInTheMiddle
(433 posts)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?
Hekate
(96,031 posts)Response to Hekate (Reply #12)
NameAlreadyTaken This message was self-deleted by its author.
steelyboo
(393 posts)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.
Magoo48
(5,839 posts)Native
(6,869 posts)LudwigPastorius
(11,551 posts)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)Wheres 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)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...
IcyPeas
(23,116 posts)tanyev
(45,275 posts)Drug testing? That was standard protocol for the local government jobs Ive had.
rsdsharp
(10,444 posts)Jilly_in_VA
(11,488 posts)Explain it to us, DonOLD!
intheflow
(29,279 posts)Fuck you, lamestream media! Its wildly illegal on so many levels. Just because Trump says its true doesnt mean it is true; in fact, it almost certainly means its illegal. Hes a felon, ffs! I wish the press would start acting like it.
Blue Owl
(55,210 posts)The M$M and MAGA would have had a level 5 nuclear meltdown!
But if Donny does it -- just another day at the office....
sakabatou
(43,899 posts)sakabatou
(43,899 posts)HipChick
(25,532 posts)and Trump just the figurehead?
CORRECT
Galraedia
(5,248 posts)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.
Skittles
(161,619 posts)Trump pledged to keep Musk away from aspects of the government that could be a conflict of interest.
TimeToGo
(1,401 posts)HipChick
(25,532 posts)but who is going to make him?
TimeToGo
(1,401 posts)But somebody needs to try. Otherwise, they are just going to be get worse.
Solly Mack
(93,803 posts)Karasu
(513 posts)Figarosmom
(4,225 posts)CaptainTruth
(7,390 posts)COL Mustard
(7,168 posts)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.
travelingthrulife
(1,469 posts)Response to Wicked Blue (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
Skittles
(161,619 posts)YES INDEED
I would LOOOOVE to know what JD FUCKING VANCE THINKS OF THIS ARRANGEMENT.
He's a special Nazi agent, sent by Russia and China to destroy the US.