A top Treasury Department official resigned this week rather than comply with a request by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
David Lebryk, a career bureaucrat, resigned after DOGE boss Elon Musk’s team demanded access to the payment system that the federal government uses to pay out trillions of dollars every year in Social Security and Medicare, among other things.
BREAKING: David Lebryk, the highest ranking career official at the Treasury has just announced his resignation. pic.twitter.com/lmJSgkaHDp
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) January 31, 2025
The Washington Post subsequently claimed that “it is unclear” why Musk’s team wants access to the system but did admit that DOGE’s purpose is to trim spending wherever feasible. And since the Treasury’s payment system is at the center of federal spending, it makes sense that Musk would want access to it.
Shedding some light on the matter, Musk posted on X: “The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once.”
Musk’s request nevertheless has triggered a flurry of wild accusations from the left, with former Obama/Biden era administration official Mark Mazur suggesting DOGE is a partisan operation with “bad intentions.”
“This is a mechanical job — they pay Social Security benefits, they pay vendors, whatever,” he complained to the Post. “It’s not one where there’s a role for nonmechanical things, at least from the career standpoint. Your whole job is to pay the bills as they’re due. It’s never been used in a way to execute a partisan agenda.”
But it’s not clear why trimming/auditing America’s bloated spending is perceived as a “partisan agenda.” As noted by conservative activist Robby Starbuck, “Why would career bureaucrats fear an audit by @elonmusk and @doge to see where we can save money?”
The highest ranking Treasury official, David A Lebryk, is resigning rather than complying with a request by @DOGE for access to audit where they’ve spent trillions of dollars a year. Why would career bureaucrats fear an audit by @elonmusk and @doge to see where we can save money? pic.twitter.com/lccLXJOL6M
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) January 31, 2025
Meanwhile, progressive activist Lindsay Owens of Groundwork Collaborative has begun using this latest fiasco to accuse the Trump administration of wanting to cut Social Security and Medicare.
“The Trump administration’s claims that they won’t touch Social Security and Medicare are obviously lies,” she told Common Dreams. “Musk and his DOGE cronies are already demanding unprecedented access to the payment system that distributes these funds and are ousting any civil servant who gets in their way.”
“It’s barely been two weeks and Musk has already caused a level of chaos and inefficiency we’ve never before seen in government,” she added.
Yet DOGE’s very purpose is to root out chaos and inefficiency by auditing America’s bloated spending. Plus, Social Security and Medicare aren’t the only payments made through the system. There are plenty of other programs that Musk might be interested in cutting.
This obvious fact hasn’t stopped congressional Democrats from eagerly jumping on the conspiracy theory wagon, with Sen. Chris Murphy accusing Musk of wanting to “steal” from the American people.
Observe:
It’s happening in front of our eyes. The richest men in the country – unelected and unaccountable – are seizing control of the government to steal from us to enrich themselves. To cut Medicare and elementary school funding and use that money to pad their pockets. https://t.co/OFmlkEdj70
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) January 31, 2025
Critics have pushed back on Democrats like Murphy by noting that, if anything, it’s the government that’s been stealing money from the American people, ergo why Musk and crew want to trim government spending.
“I’m sorry, but it’s YOU who have been stealing from US,” one critic tweeted at the senator. “They’re trying to stop your theft (taxes) and ridiculous spending that has put our entire nation at risk of financial failure. Just shut up and let the adults fix your mess. Thanks.”
Another critic noted that, unlike Lebryk, Musk was chosen by the American people via their vote for President Donald Trump.
“If one of the people you’re referring to is Elon Musk, he was chosen by Pres Trump, who, in case you missed it, was elected in a landslide victory by the people of the United States to make decisions on their behalf, including Elon,” the critic explained. “We wanted Elon, he picked Elon.”
See more responses below:
I don’t recall electing any Treasury officials.
— Melody Surfing (@CricketSurfing) January 31, 2025
No one cares about your hyperbolic statements.
— Frank (@richardrahl1086) January 31, 2025
I would much rather have people who actually earned their money through a business they built trying to lower our spending than congressmen who got wealthy off our backs spending it. Since when does your party shun billionaires?
— Sharon (@Sharon84927465) January 31, 2025
It’s happening in front of our eyes. The entitled governments employees of our country – the unelected bureaucrats – are refusing to allow an audit of financial systems. To have an organization this big and think you’re immune to audits is somehow par for the course.
— Ichiban Insights ☠️ (@IchibanDeath) January 31, 2025
Senator you really should be ashamed of yourself for lying to your constituents like this. Sounds to me like you’re worried about accountability for where all these entitlements are really going. What’s wrong with looking under the hood Senator? What are you afraid of?
— P.T. Ward (@HTWardish) January 31, 2025
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