DOGE is hit with internal bickering between Musk and Ramaswamy. And two lawsuits claim DOGE violates FACA law. 
DOGE Sued Minutes After Inauguration
CBS News reports Elon Musk’s DOGE faces lawsuit as Donald Trump is inaugurated
A coalition representing veterans, public health professionals, teachers and other groups also filed a suit Monday against DOGE, citing FACA and asking a court to block DOGE’s activities until it complies with law.
One suit, filed Monday by a public interest law firm called National Security Counselors, claims DOGE is operating as a federal advisory committee. That puts the initiative in violation of a law called the Federal Advisory Committee Act, or FACA, which regulates the functions and transparency of federal advisory committees, according to the group.
FACA requires these groups to be “fairly balanced in terms of the points of view represented and the functions to be performed by the advisory committee,” the lawsuit states. The lawsuit was filed shortly after noon Eastern time in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, National Security Counselors told CBS MoneyWatch.
A coalition representing veterans, public health professionals, teachers and other groups also filed a suit Monday against DOGE, citing FACA and asking a court to block DOGE’s activities until it complies with law.
“The question every American should be asking is ‘What are they hiding?’” Skye Perryman, CEO of Democracy Forward, a legal organization representing the plaintiffs, said in a statement. “DOGE must not be allowed to operate in the shadows without the transparency, oversight, and opportunity for public participation required of any federal department by the law.”
The lawsuit alleges that, as a result, DOGE is in violation of FACA because “not a single member of DOGE is a federal employee or represents the perspective of federal employees, despite the evidence that DOGE intends to provide recommendations regarding federal employment practices and ways to reduce the size of the federal workforce.”
“Nobody disputes that there is a huge amount of wasteful spending in the federal government,” Kel McClanahan, the executive director of National Security Counselors, said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch. “Our only concern is that DOGE, as it is currently constituted, lacks the expertise to understand how its recommendations will backfire if it pushes federal workers out without understanding why they are there in the first place.
Executive Order Complication
The Washington Post note an Executive Order Complication.
“DOGE is not exempted from FACA’s requirements,” states the lawsuit, written by Kel McClanahan, executive director of National Security Counselors. “All meetings of DOGE, including those conducted through an electronic medium, must be open to the public.”
The lawsuit could be complicated by an executive order, which Trump is set to sign on Monday, that would designate DOGE as primarily working “within” the U.S. government, according to two people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to reflect private deliberations.
“If the Trump administration changes the structure of DOGE to be a government office, that would potentially moot the case,” McClanahan said. “But that would subject Musk and others to a whole bunch of ethics laws I don’t think they want to be subject to.”
Sam Hammond, senior economist at the Foundation for American Innovation, who has been supportive of DOGE’s efforts, said the initiative will primarily implement ideas within the executive branch and White House, which he said would exempt it from FACA requirements. If Trump does treat DOGE as a FACA, then it should follow the required reporting rules. But for now, he said, “DOGE isn’t a federal advisory committee because DOGE doesn’t really exist. DOGE is a branding exercise, a shorthand for Trump’s government reform efforts.”
Hammond added: “The president is allowed to take advice from external experts without creating a formal advisory committee.”
DOGE on Mars
The Wall Street Journal reports Elon Musk Sees a Fork in the Road of Human Civilization
An exuberant Elon Musk received a booming reception from a watch-party audience at Washington’s Capital One Arena as he cheered on an incoming Trump administration he helped secure with massive financial donations.
“This is what victory feels like,” the world’s richest man yelled after the swearing-in ceremony. “This was no ordinary victory. This was a fork in the road of human civilization.” Musk went on to say the nation would now have “safe cities,” “secure borders,” and “sensible spending.” He referenced the advisory group he will lead to look for ways to cut the federal government, saying, “We’re going to take DOGE to Mars.”
Sig Heil?
Politico reports Elon Musk’s Salute Goes Viral
Can I ask what that hell that is all about? Is that on purpose? From the facial expression it looks like it.
DOGE Infighting Underway
CBS News reports Vivek Ramaswamy Expected to Depart DOGE
Vivek Ramaswamy, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with entrepreneur Elon Musk, is expected to soon step away from the task force, CBS News has learned. Ramaswamy intends to announce a campaign for Ohio governor as soon as the end of January, multiple sources confirmed to CBS News.
People close to Musk have privately undercut Ramaswamy for weeks, frustrated with his lack of participation in the heavy lifting, according to sources familiar with the internal dynamics. There has been friction between the incoming rank and file DOGE staff and Ramaswamy, the sources said, and Ramaswamy has been subtly encouraged to exit.
“Vivek has worn out his welcome,” one person close to Trump said.
Ramaswamy recently met with the Ohio’s sitting governor, Mike DeWine, about the state’s Senate seat left vacant by Vice President-elect JD Vance. But on Friday, DeWine announced he is appointing his lieutenant governor to the post.
One Down Already
A friend commented “That’s one down and one to go. Effectively, it’s Trump’s first firing. I think Vivek is over. I do not think he will be the next governor oh Ohio.“
NBC reports Vivek Ramaswamy’s interest in running for Ohio governor isn’t scaring away other Republicans
Ramaswamy’s path was, in theory, eased Friday when Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, another Republican eyeing the governorship, to the Senate seat recently vacated by Vice President-elect JD Vance. But at least two other GOP officeholders with statewide name recognition — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and state Treasurer Robert Sprague — were already preparing their own campaigns for governor to succeed the term-limited DeWine.
Yost on Friday night also blasted out a text message to his followers promoting his trip to Washington, D.C., for Trump’s inauguration.
“As your next governor, I’ll work with President Trump to advance his America first agenda,” Yost wrote. “Look out for a special announcement soon about my candidacy for governor!”
Sprague, meanwhile, filed paperwork Friday with the Ohio secretary of state that specified he plans to seek the governorship — a move that a spokesperson confirmed was a prelude to an official announcement.
Vivek has served his usefulness and may now vanish into obscurity unless he wins the Ohio Governor’s race.
And if Trump endorses someone other than Vivek, it’s over.
DOGE Overpromised and Will Underdeliver
December 29, 2024: Team Trump Accelerates Social Security Insolvency, Where’s DOGE?
Republicans expand Social Security at a cost of $196 billion. Guess who benefits.
December 27, 2024: Can DOGE Cut $2 Trillion Out of $1 Trillion? What About Revenue?
The answer to the first question is obvious. So let’s discuss what’s reasonable.
January 10, 2025: Elon Musk Admits DOGE Can’t Find $2 Trillion In Budget Cuts
Anyone with an ounce of common sense knew that wasn’t possible. He won’t find $1 trillion either.
“The question every American should be asking is ‘What are they hiding?’” Skye Perryman, CEO of Democracy Forward…
What is Democracy Forward hiding? The term Forward Soviet comes to mind. Leftist anti democracy front groups hide behind the word democracy.
Exactly. What are the plaintiffs afraid of that they want DOGE to die?
Lawyer scum will sue anything that has money.
When the very people who will lose jobs are threatened, they will file lawsuit after lawsuit, miring Trump down in a tangle of paperwork. There’s a lot of bluster in Trump, but we knew that.
– The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) became law in 1972 and is the legal foundation defining how federal advisory committees operate. The law has special emphasis on open meetings, chartering, public involvement, and reporting.
> They most certainly will comply with these rules of engagement. DOGE Ironically has all of them built right into it:
“Open and Transparent Meetings” Demanded by “The Team”
“Public Involvement” Demanded by “The Team”
“Reporting” “Demanded by “The Team”
>> I must admit however, that after reading through the “FACA LAW” it’s appears designed and worded to “Prevent” the following:
“Open and Transparent Meetings” & “Public Involvement” & “Reporting” All Demanded by “The Team” but what a convoluted mess and total “Word Salad” you must be able to read, digest and understand! It’s almost as if they want anyone and everyone “To Fail” at ANY Attempt at creating any of there stated goals, and Most Importantly To Stop a DOGE Style Committee to oversee there practices, or lack thereof… Sad is the state of our Current Government and there desire to “HIDE ANYTHING & EVERYTHING from the “Public Eyes”
This whole FACA Idea needs to be rewritten with emphasis on the Public Needs and NOT the Government’s. It’s to find Rot & Decay in our systems of Governance, but this makes it near impossible to do so!
Watch lawsuit after lawsuit, designed in the operation, of such an effort! What a joke!
-STATUTE-
(a) The Congress finds that there are numerous committees, boards, commissions, councils, and similar groups which have been established to advise officers and agencies in the executive branch of the Federal Government
> Maybe too many of them, would find too much?
(b) The Congress further finds and declares that (1) the need for many existing advisory committees has not been adequately reviewed: (2) new advisory committees should be established only when they are determined to be essential and their number should be kept to the minimum necessary; (3) advisory committees should be terminated when they are no longer carrying out the purposes for which they were established; (4) standards and uniform procedures should govern the establishment, operation, administration, and duration of advisory committees; (5) the Congress and the public should be kept informed with respect to the number, purpose, membership, activities, and cost of advisory committees; and (6) the function of advisory committees should be advisory only, and that all matters under their consideration should be determined, in accordance with law, by the official, agency, or officer involved.
So “Bury DOGE in Paperwork” and just keep rejecting each and every change, but slowly, so it will never get done, as “THEY DON’T WANT TRANSPARENCY”
You get it?
Vivek was never very useful for Trump. Unlike Musk, Vivek is more a talker than a doer.
While I agree, He does still have a place in this organization I think. He is sharp, smart and a good and skilled negotiator. We don’t want to leave that ilk off of “The Overall Team”
Should have had Dumbya and Climate Change Kerry demonstrate their Skull & Bones perversions at the campaigns 20 years ago.
“Sieg Heil” just means “hail victory”. Totally innocuous.
They literally look for anything to rile up their delusional base, if they can’t find one to use, then they simply make it up. It still acts as a cog in our wheel, and still with no penalty…
I watched the entire video. Elon told the crowd that some elections matter more than others, and thanked all in attendance for helping Trump win. Elon then put his hand over his heart, which isn’t weird… and then he extended his arm out as fast and straight as he could, in a fashion very similar to the Nazi salute, before putting his arm back down. So maybe it was a mistake. He did put his arm down pretty quick. But nope, he spins around and repeats the gesture for the people standing behind him. This isn’t an accident, he’s doing it on purpose. He then turns back to the cameras, clutches his hand over his chest and says “My heart goes out to you.”
Just stop it with the both-sides, mainstream media argument. If Tim Walz accidentally made a Nazi salute at a press conference, it would have made headline news too. Elon Musk is 53 years old. Stop treating him like a child when he does something stupid.
And?
The “salute” and “unspeakable symbol” have been around for over 2000 years in several unrelated civilizations.
How do you know it was the Nazi salute? Could have been any number of similar hand and arm gestures such as the Bellamy Salute or some of the arm gestures football players make after a touchdown or goal.
Then again he might just have been trolling the Karen left to get the usual hissy fit hysterics.
Supposedly it was ‘my heart goes out to you’. Probably was, I doubt he intended a Nazi salute, just stuff that people on the spectrum do as they have limited understanding of the world outside of their own head. It is worse when they get over stimulated or excited . We as a society need to understand this behaviour by people who fit into DEI categories
Or he’s on meds. His pupils are usually dilated.
It meant Victory which we had, but of course they jump on anything and everything, with a hope and prayer (maybe not that) that something / Anything Sticks!
They may have just been “Played” MAGA Style!!!
Check out these Democrats doing the same. Scroll down to Mr zoggs.
https://x.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1881529485448851480
“One suit, filed Monday by a public interest law firm called National Security Counselors, claims DOGE is operating as a federal advisory committee.”
Interesting the courts are open on a federal holiday for filing suits that make the government less efficient. That should be grounds for a lawsuit, discrimination against the taxpayers of the country favoring the plaintiff by accepting a filing on a holiday, except taxpayers never have standing.
That child trafficking judge in PA was prob on call today.!
But did they get time and a half or any bonus, of any kind, for doing so? A whole day off? A Pardon? A raise, but not in affect until 2-3 months from now? The usual suspected ideas…
Now that’s “The Question”
I guess this is to be expected in a democracy, the lawsuit is basically asking that DOGE comply with transparency laws and open forums; therefore, we can expect it to have huge overhead and be just as inefficient as the rest of government. But our country is not a democracy, it is a republic, representatives are democratically elected and held accountable via periodic elections. Since DOGE has no authority and can only make recommendations, I do not think the lawsuits should survive, but they likely will, and we can have more litigious inefficiency forced into an organization whose purpose is to impart efficiency into the government. Our founders would be so proud, not! Even if the goals are not met, a long journey starts with the first step. Let’s at least give it a try and litigate what congress does with the recommendations if they do anything. Nothing came of single recommendation from Simpson Bowles and I do not recall any FACA lawsuits.
– the lawsuit is asking that DOGE comply with transparency laws and open forums.
> Funny, but that’s exactly what DOGE is Seeking from THEM!!
– therefore, we can expect it to have huge overhead.
> Nope! Simply “Pay Them All” the “Federal” Minimum Wage. There will be “NO OBJECTIONS” so we’re good to go!
– Since DOGE has no authority and can only make recommendations,
> Then just make ALL recommendations. They are allowed to Add In what they think there recommended solutions “Will Allow” So make them very Wordy and Very open to suggestions 1-100 if necessary.
This is the first of many measures that the bureaucracy will attempt to protect themselves. Many more to follow.
We don’t even see the crap going on behind closed doors. We hear about it, on rare occasions, but it just drips out slowly…
I agree. It will be four years of stone-walling, obstacles, CENSORSHIP, MANIPULATION OF EACH STEP (good or bad) and the usual with the USA.
I have ZERO HOPES OF ANYTHING TRULY CHANGING.
I hate to see this happen. Personally, I liked Ramaswamy’s way of thinking. He is clear headed and seems genuinely honest. I can’t say that I entertained him as president in 2024, but perhaps in the future? Still, I think he’d be invaluable in the administration and it’s a shame that he’s out.
Ramaswamy left. He’s gonna run for Ohio governor. He wont be the last rat to run away from this sinking AMAZING INCREDIBLE ship …
A long painful 4 years ahead for you and all those with TDS! 😔
This will be better than a Three Stooges episode
Yes, we see it in every post post you make.
How can it “Not Be” as we have literally “Thousands” of Stooges, and they Only Had 3…
You know, if you don’t feed the trolls, they’ll eventually go away….
Margie’s still on board
There is probably a lot of waste in the non-discretionary spending as well. Or at least hopefully there is. Spending cuts are coming either way; if not voluntarily, they will be forced upon us at some point.
Trump will dramatically increase the deficit.
His discussion about rebuilding the military plays well with peeps but it isn’t exactly conducive to reining in spending. As you’ve posted before the vast majority spending is non-discretionary, and a great amount of that is “3rd rail” territory. I figure goal lines are being moved to have spending increase at a lower rate than before and call it a win.
Hi,
Can you be specific and list the amounts and areas so we can check in the future?
While true, it is a necessary evil by design, to clean up the Mess being left behind, and put in place new ideas, as they also cost lots of money.
The deficit will be decreased just the same, by all the eliminations of waste, over budget, and inefficient and over paid and bloated agencies, just for starters.
Unfortunately the increase, that was made necessary by the Democrats, must come first, and then the opposite incrementally…
It’s bloody transfer payments! There’s no waste to eliminate! We’re all old and mooching off gov’t cheese. If you want to fix it, you gotta take away the money from the elderly to one extent or another.
All sorts of ideas are, and will be on the table. I can think of a few…
1. “Means Testing” for Social Security. They do it Now, for Federal Insurance (Ex. Ambetter).
2. “Everybody Taxed” (No Skin in the game, and many don’t care, or even try to), so everybody is paying attention.
3. “Any & All Decisions that affects “The Public” “MUST HAVE” a Politician’s Signature On It! We NEED to Know WHO to Remove from office, and Also WHO to Keep!!
You must be crazy. Trump is already maneuvering his “one beautiful single bill for spending” so that he gets to, at least, borrow ANOTHER 1.5 trillion (and probably more), cause Trump has no interest in cutting anything. He likes to borrow, and if someone else has to pay it back or it gets forgiven/bankrupted out of existence, so much the better. There will be no cutting of anything. There wasnt anything more that anyone can identify to cut anyway without upsetting everyone (Knife the elderly? Slash a veteran? Slap a disabled person? Tell momma her Treasuries are worthless?) What we have is 50+ years of tax income avoidance by the rich. But the 75 million who elected him dont want to hear that.
There is no plans for noticeable savings and lotsa plans that will cost lots.
Fiscally more of the same, but spending on different things, though, if he does cut back on forever wars that may be a big big saving.
But already he is into my dick is bigger than yours on military spend
We have numerous years of over spending by the government. I remember Clinton saying, “we need a benefit.” We have a global empire budget, not a defense budget, as well.
Back in the early 2000’s I talked to a guy who knew Trump. His exact words were-“Trump is small potatoes”. At that point Trump was near bankruptcy. Then came the ZIRP policy of baby Bush. That rejuvenated the real estate industry and made Trump whole again. Trump will push for more debt and lower interest rates; Powell may be history if he doesn’t agree.
Aim high. Be ambitious. God Bless America
Buy Trumpcoin, get rich like me!
OH, DARN! I bought the Trump Watch instead. /sarc
Who did it better –
Bubba Bill checking out Carrie Underwood’s caboose
Or
Zuck checking out Bezo’s merchandise
?
WTH is up with all the down votes? The trolls are out in full force I see.
I did not downvote this comment myself by Midnight, but I’d guess it’s because this comment is inane and does not add much to the discussion?
Come to Twitter! It’s a safe space, with porn!
Lawsuits, ha! I own the government now! Bring it on.