General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMusk vows to cancel grants after gaining access to US Treasury payment system
https://www.ft.com/content/27ba0a6a-0d9b-4e08-8329-730b581c0481No paywall link
https://archive.li/HSZYb
*snip*
Musks comments came after David Lebryk, who had spent more than 36 years in government and had briefly run the Treasury while Bessent was awaiting confirmation, resigned abruptly on Friday. Lebryk was responsible for overseeing the operation of the departments financial infrastructure.
The extent of DOGEs access to the payments system appeared to be laid bare on Sunday by Musk, who responded to a post on X which contained a spreadsheet showing payments to a number of Lutheran charities.
The spreadsheet was posted by Mike Flynn, Trumps former national security adviser, who was pardoned in 2020 after pleading guilty to lying about his contacts with Russians.
Flynn claimed that the screenshots showed there are MANY more organisations cashing in on our hard-earned money, adding: These entities are receiving huge sums, which raises serious questions about how taxpayer funds are being spent and whos benefiting.
Musk responded saying The @DOGE team is rapidly shutting down these illegal payments. It is unclear whether the billionaire, who has yet to take an official role within government, would have the legal authority to do so.
*snip*
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Takket
(22,778 posts)The media keeps asking the wrong question. It doesn't matter if he has legal authority. it matters if anyone WILL DO ANYTHING about it if he does not. The answer to that is in the hands of drumpf and Bondi.
CurtEastPoint
(19,315 posts)Irish_Dem
(63,019 posts)They wouldn't even do it before Trump rigged the election.
B.See
(4,276 posts)Skittles
(161,459 posts)HE BOUGHT HIMSELF A CORRUPT PRESIDENT
WTF
Frasier Balzov
(3,799 posts)Trump trusts Musk and cancels them.
What is the next move, and who has standing or authority to take it?
Military?
If the military is backing Trump, then that's checkmate.
OrlandoDem2
(2,423 posts)enough
(13,488 posts)Klarkashton
(2,783 posts)Budgets and payments.
"Whaaaa happened????"
Initech
(103,300 posts)But how do we get the word out? Too many in this country are distracted by the shiny objects on Fox Pravda to notice.
questionseverything
(10,401 posts)bronxiteforever
(9,819 posts)One not confirmed and without an fbi background check? There is no accounting of what he is doing or a list of programs. Is musk getting a piece of every grant he approves and why arent members of Congress
Screaming these questions?
Bettie
(17,640 posts)to go out? I don't.
He thinks it is his money and, remember, if he has control of the payments, he can pay himself.....everything if he chooses to. No one will stop him, he's above the law.
Orange man isn't our dictator, he's the rube, and Eloon is in charge of it all.
sinkingfeeling
(53,802 posts)taxes to stop being given to Musk's f**king companies. Stop every single subsidy to any corporation. End them immediately.
dalton99a
(85,957 posts)TubbersUK
(1,461 posts)Are Lutheran congregations likely to lean conservative or liberal?
I'm wondering what the chances are of the Musk/DOME hijack pissing off some Republicans.
tanyev
(45,216 posts)I wish someone would post Flynns tweet because Im curious, too. If its the denomination I grew up in, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, then theyre hitting their finding out stage.
In the 70s-80s, my impression was that they were theologically conservative, but strongly committed to staying out of the political arena. That started changing in the 90s and in the 2000s, under the leadership of the man whos still synodical president, they got very cozy with right wing politics, evangelicals and Catholics.
If I come upon Flynn's list I''ll add it here.
The agency is Lutheran Social Services, which is actually a cooperative effort of the ELCA (more liberal) and the LCMS. Heres a good summary.
https://clintschnekloth.substack.com/p/musk-and-flynns-attack-on-lutheran
Havent seen an official statement from the LCMS yet.
LoisB
(9,314 posts)"He justified the move by claiming his team discovered that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups.
How much are the payments eLoon receives?