Democrats Say They're 'Pulling the Fire Alarm' on Trump and Musk

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published Feb 03, 2025 at 4:39 PM EST Updated Feb 03, 2025 at 5:57 PM EST


Washington Senator Patty Murray said during a press conference on Monday that she and other top Democrats are "pulling the fire alarm" with Senate procedure after Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) reportedly gained access to Treasury Department data.

"We are pulling the fire alarm," Murray said. "It is up to Republicans, who are the majority in Congress who are passing these nominations, who are sitting silently by while Elon Musk goes into departments, into agencies and takes your information. It is up to them to decide whether they want to get out the fire hoses or sit in the fire."

Why It Matters

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a task force run by Musk, President Donald Trump's billionaire ally, is working to cut wasteful federal spending. DOGE has been granted access to "sensitive Treasury data," including Social Security and Medicare customer payment systems, the Associated Press reported. Musk has been working as a "special government employee," a White House Official told the AP. He does not receive a paycheck for his work.

What To Know

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer kicked off the press conference Monday with other top Democrats, calling out the "unelected shadow government" that has been "conducting a hostile takeover of the federal government." "Donald Trump essentially handed DOGE the Social Security data of virtually every American citizen," Schumer said. "Donald Trump gave DOGE access to America's personal refund data. He gave DOGE access to people's Medicare and Medicaid benefits, disability data, veteran benefit data. Worst of all, we don't know what DOGE intends to do with this information." Schumer said that he and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are working together on legislation to "stop unlawful meddling." The Democrats noted that DOGE is not a part of the government and has no authority to "shut programs down or ignore federal law."

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/democrats-say-theyre-pulling-fire-alarm-trump-musk-2025532

[Think. Again.]

1. Keep Up The Noise!

Keep Up The Resitance!

Keep Up The Lawsuits!

Keep Up The Opposition!

IMPEACH !!!

[Bluetus]

22. But what are the SENATORS personally going to do?

Will they vote as a bloc against all nominees, as a message to the public of the danger we are in?

Will they ALL (not just one brave Senator) take part in the procedural blockade in the Senate to try to force negotiations, or at least stall the appointments to give the public time to raise its voices?

[AdamGG]

25. There's only 47 Democratic Senators

They have been voting as a bloc against many of the nominees. That doesn't accomplish anything unless they pick up 4 Republican senate votes.

[Bluetus]

30. Wrong

Solidarity is the starting point. When we have assholes go off the ranch it undermines the power of our voice. It makes it too easy for the Legacy Media to say the Democrats are divided, and then simply ignore what we have to say.

This is really basic stuff.

[woven]

39. BS

We've watched R's pull this for 20 years and here we are. Probably to little to late, but every foot dragging, time wasting maneuver gives us more time to save our ass.

[AdamGG]

40. Sorry, you guys are obviously right

I think I missed the point. We need to do anything procedurally possible to gum up the works.

[OldBaldy1701E]

2. Hahaha!

Schumer said that he and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are working together on legislation to "stop unlawful meddling."

Yeah, that will show them!

[ReRe]

3. "Meddling"? "Meddling"?

OMFG! Excuse me while I have my 19th nervous breakdown.

[OldBaldy1701E]

4. I would grab you a couch...

But I had to burn it to keep warm. (Not yet, but such a thing is not far off if we don't act!)

[ReRe]

5. Hey

That gave me an idea for winter protests. Instead of a bon fire, have a couch fire?
In honor of JD Vance's couch. Just an idea.

[OldBaldy1701E]

35. I like it! (n/t)

[Scrivener7]

7. RIGHT? It's a fucking coup, Chuck!!!

[Magoo48]

10. Meddling?

Is that what we are gonna call a full frontal assault upon our common welfare?

[Bluetus]

23. It is a 5-alarm smoldering fire in a small waste basket

That is the message they are sending -- mixed message indeed.

[magicarpet]

31. The Schumer solution that accomplishes nothing, zero, zip, and zilch.

Schumer & Jefferies will draw up legislation to counter this trDUMP/Musk Coup D'etat 2.0.

Like even one ReThug will hop the fence and vote with the Dems. What good is legislation if we can not get it passed ?

[twodogsbarking]

6. The Reps are powerless too.

[orangecrush]

9. Excellent point

[BumRushDaShow]

11. I found this interesting, media deer-in-the-headlights article this morning by NBC

Republicans take a back seat as Trump steamrolls Congress with flurry of unilateral moves

Feb. 3, 2025, 7:22 PM EST
By Scott Wong, Sahil Kapur and Ryan Nobles

(snip)

Lawmakers traditionally have heralded their oversight responsibilities and the power of the purse as points of pride in a city where there is a constant push and pull among the three branches of government. But in the second Trump administration, Republicans are so far largely deferring to Trump, who carries a huge level of influence among GOP primary voters.

Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress and previously railed against executive overreach by Democratic presidents, have sat on the sidelines as Trump carries out controversial — and sometimes legally questionable — executive actions and orders. Instead, they’re rooting Trump on as he upends Washington and tests America’s system of checks and balances.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told NBC News that Democratic presidents have also tried to “push the limits” of their power. “They’re going to see how far they can go,” Tillis said of the Trump administration. “I don’t begrudge them for doing it.”

But Tillis, who did not point to examples of Democratic presidents’ seeking to gut agencies by executive action, said it “would be helpful” if Trump sought congressional approval to refuse to spend money that’s legally required by Congress, like on USAID. “I think it’s legitimate; it’s just not going to last long-term if it doesn’t make sense,” said Tillis, who faces re-election next year.

(snip)

NONE of what he has done is "legitimate" and this mess falls SQUARELY on the GOP, NOT Democrats.

When Watergate happened, you had Republicans like Howard Baker who were WILLING to question what Nixon and his criminal cabal had done, where his now-famous quote lives on in infamy!

But this current crew? They are a bunch of criminals themselves.

[Owens]

15. Whataboutism

Soviet propaganda technique of responding to an accusation or difficult question by making a counter-accusation or raising a different issue. Whataboutism changes the subject without acknowledging the problem. Tillis is a Russian puppet, which is in line with his response and the press is failing us again.

[Wavelight]

8. The Dems

Might sprain their index finger with all this wagging and pointing...

[HereForTheParty]

12. "It is up to Republicans"

Oh boy.

[yardwork]

13. I called my two Republican senators today, both DC and NC offices.

I also called both DC and local offices of my Democratic representative. Both those staffers said they understood my alarm and would pass on my call.

I'll call again tomorrow, and the next day.

Make six calls every day: to the DC and state offices of each of your senators, and the same offices of your representative. Be polite.

Don't email. Call them.

[Owens]

14. DOGE is NOT a department!! It's a made up thing!

Are the democrats that DENSE?

[hueymahl]

16. Unfortunately the fire department has already been defunded

[EarthFirst]

17. Couldn't we just deny a quorum at every stage in government?

Why participate in the system that they aren’t going to adhere to anyway…

It may not shut them down; however we don’t have to make it easy for them either!

[republianmushroom]

18. You mean they finally figured out there is a fire ?

Jeez

[surrealAmerican]

19. Sounding the alarm is fine ...

... if there is someone to respond to it and put out the fire.



Who do they expect to put the fire out?

[coffeenap]

20. ...all enemies...domestic

Where are the generals? Those boys need to be cuffed and escorted to a brig. Unprecedented? I really don't care, do you?

[Oopsie Daisy]

21. I don't know if that's a good analogy.

[malthaussen]

24. "We're pulling the alarm -- it's up to the Republicans to do something."

Does the man even listen to himself?

-- Mal

[Easterncedar]

26. And our rally has been cancelled

Threats of turmoil. FFS this is REAL and now

[AdamGG]

27. Can a federal judge stop this??

Republicans have House and Senate majorities and they most likely will do nothing. It seems that Musk and his minions are committing felonies every day. Can a federal judge issue an injunction to stop them? Since Trump's stooge DOJ won't do anything, can charges be brought in state courts about this? Can state attorneys general do anything?

If DOGE doesn't have the legal right to seize federal agencies, could the DC police arrest them (unlikely). In short, if felonies are being committed and DOGE doesn't have the legal right to seize the things they are seizing, is there any entity that can enforce anything against them?

Can a state attorney general or state judges take actions on behalf of their constituents whose privacy has been violated by having their records seized by individuals who are not authorized to have them and who have no accountability for how they handle the information?

This is literally the dismantling of a democracy by authoritarian means.

[electric_blue68]

28. I use the DC #'s, but if filled up I go back to local #...

at least I could leave a recorded message.

[gab13by13]

29. Instead of wasting time working on legislation that is doomed to fail

get your asses out into the country and do town halls, the people will come. Inform everyone what Project 2025 will do to them, then organize the people because it is up to us, the people, to throw out the billionaires.

[Attilatheblond]

32. Schumer can blame GOP for all the confirmations, but there have been a lot of Vichey Dem Senators helping them

Like Ruben Sinema, who gave me a little hope, but not for long.

[OMGWTF]

37. And John Fetterman.

That stroke really fked-up his brain.

[Bluethroughu]

33. Get the cops and start jailing the coup!

Start with hegseth in a military jail, today!

[seta1950]

34. In my opinion

That fire alarm should of pulled already

[OMGWTF]

36. Eloon and his incel tech goons need to be arrested.

I am more concerned about their access to the Treasury Department computers that process SIX TRILLION dollars a year in payments. I can see that mofo just emptying everything into an offshore account.

DOGE does not have any authority or clearances to do any of the sh!t it is currently doing.

[Blasphemer]

38. Murray is right - the GOP owns all of this

And Americans voted for this. Democrats and many on the left curtailed the damage during his first term. What did they get for it? Not a shred of credit or grace. Let the GOP actually get the blame for the damage this time. Obama fixed their huge mess and no one remembers. Maybe they will remember this time.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

41. Only took 'em 9 years.

My hair's been on fire since November '16.