Man, this is a mid-morning shockeroo from Washington. Although it’s not entirely unexpected, given the absolute furor that news of possible threats to the Social Security check system has generated — on the very same day that there were massive protests nationwide on *President’s Day.* There are some red lines that even the Marmelade Monarch would do well not to cross and Social Security checks are that forbidden zone. Here’s what happened but the real story is in the backstory and the “why?”
The White House said Monday that Elon Musk is technically not part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), even though the tech billionaire is said to be leading its sweeping cost-cutting efforts.
Musk is an employee of the “White House Office” and serves as senior adviser to the president, according to a court filing from Joshua Fisher, director of the White House Office of Administration.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO is not an employee of the U.S. DOGE Service or the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, both of which are separate from the White House Office, according to Fisher.
He is also not U.S. DOGE Service administrator, the position that leads DOGE, as laid out in President Trump’s executive order last month establishing the service.
“In his role as a Senior Advisor to the President, Mr. Musk has no greater authority than other senior White House advisors,” Fisher said in his declaration to the court.
“Like other senior White House advisors, Mr. Musk has no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself,” he continued. “Mr. Musk can only advise the President and communicate the President’s directives.”
That’s a few hundred words saying, “Trump’s the boss, not Elon.” Okay. Good to know. At least Trump is an elected official and we can impeach him — not that it will do any good, but at least a mechanism exists and we now live in an age of high cynicism, so take your victories where you find them.
The comments you read above were apparently attached to a declaration which was filed in response to a lawsuit by 14 states saying that Musk was not an appointed official with Senate approval.
“Mr. Musk’s seemingly limitless and unchecked power to strip the government of its workforce and eliminate entire departments with the stroke of a pen or click of a mouse would have been shocking to those who won this country’s independence,” the states wrote.
“There is no office of the United States, other than the President, with the full power of the Executive Branch, and the sweeping authority now vested in a single unelected and unconfirmed individual is antithetical to the nation’s entire constitutional structure,” they continued.
That is indeed the argument. And Fischer’s response is that the states are “conflating influence and authority,” emphasizing that “an advisor does not become an officer simply because the officer listens to his advice.” Granted, an advisor does not suddenly become an officer. So it seems that what the lawyer for the Trump administration is arguing is that Elon Musk has no real power. Which I daresay is going to come as one hell of a shock to Elon Musk.
Watch this story closely. This has all the earmarks of total volatility. If there’s one thing we know about Musk, it’s that he has a “my way or the highway” manner of doing business and it looks like right now he’s being told that Trump will take the highway. Interesting.
*****
We are still experiencing lower than usual traffic due to widespread Democratic depression. It’s not just us, but we’re the only blog that is keeping this group of writers going. So if you can support us in any way, it would be appreciated. Ursula
Since they’re trying to get rid of the first amendment, maybe we need to remind them of the amendment that comes after that.
I wonder if this will have any effect on the lawsuit. Potentially, placing Musk under the protection and authority of the pResident? I imagine that is what the lawyers are trying to accomplish, but will it work?
“If there’s one thing we know about Musk, it’s that he has a “my way or the highway” manner of doing business and it looks like right now he’s being told that Trump will take the highway.
The bullshit highway, which is what he always does.
“Laws are being broken” right and left. But not by anybody in particular, mind you. After all, Musk wasn’t elected, he wasn’t appointed, and he’s not formally part of dOGE, which is not a formal part of the government anyway.
It’s not hard to see through this little peek-a-boo. It’s the old question, cui bono? Who benefits? Musk is actually doing stuff … stuff that damages the country very seriously but benefits him and his buddies to the tune of muchísimo dinero $$$$$. In the last analysis, if Trump cannot be prosecuted, well, Musk surely can. He’s acting on nobody’s authority but his own.
I’m still having difficulty precessing the fact that Musk and his minions barged into govt agencies unimpeded and attacked secure, protected data bases. Why didn’t someone call the cops? Was there no in-house security? Did anyone film it, with any of the zillions of phones on hand? And it’s still going on? I despair of us, we can’t even rise to our own defence.