this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2025
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politics

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Summary

Elon Musk warned federal employees against leaking information, stating, “if in doubt, they are out,” as he helps Trump implement sweeping government changes.

A Reddit post alleged Musk’s team is using “fingerprinting” tactics to track leakers. Musk, who spent heavily on Trump’s re-election, now leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has controversially seized control of federal payment and personnel systems.

The administration is also encouraging civil servants to resign, prompting lawsuits.

Whistleblower protections may challenge Musk’s crackdown on leaks.

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[–] [email protected] 45 points 12 hours ago (3 children)

It was created off the books. He technically has no authority, so I dont k ow why anybody is listening to anything he says. This is plainly illegal, and congress should be taking action right now. Instead we are sitting on our thumbs watching from the side lines.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (1 children)

He technically has no authority

He technically does have authority, because he's got his team into the IT systems via Trump's orders.

Since the federal government basically runs on Microsoft, that means his goons can go into Active Directory and start locking other people out of key government systems. Then he has payroll mark you as "Terminated" in the accounting system, because his people are in that system, too. If you can't badge into your office, you can't log on to your computer, you can't use your phone, and you won't receive a paycheck, what are you except "fired"?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

In Europe we declare ourselves ready to work and are considered to be on paid leave until called upon.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

That works so long as the paychecks keep coming. But also, it works because of the large well-structured unions that populate the European bureaucracy.

The US has made a point to dismantle public sector unions precisely because bosses don't like when this happens. We've also turned a great deal of the government over to contractors, both to keep public labor divided and to guarantee the rolls as a means of patronage (landing a contractor job means being in good standing politically) and efficient avenue for kickbacks (contractors and their staff financially support the candidates that send them billable work).

So it's less a question of "will we show up to work for this administration?" and more a question of "will we get included in this administration's patronage scheme?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 hours ago

Thanks for this writeup, fascinating read!

[–] [email protected] 8 points 12 hours ago

and congress should be taking action right now. Instead we are sitting on our thumbs watching from the side lines.

You can blame the "victory fund" bankrupting state parties and Dems losing ground in down ballot races over and over again so that the presidential campaign could have a dinner with Clooney.

Hopefully Ken Martin puts an end to that griff

[–] [email protected] -3 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

I was not aware of it being a temporary organization. But it was created by executive order, which likely grants musk power to fire.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 12 hours ago

Oh, no. Executive orders, at least according to "the rules", do not supercede the law. This is all blatantly illegal in many ways.

Fat lot of good that does, though, considering the other two branches are run by corrupt yes men.

Also, I don't think there's anything saying it's temporary...?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

It was, but it cannot surrept congress' constitutional authority in holding the governments coin purse. But, then again, if nobody does anything, I guess all bets are off at this point.