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ArcticStones's avatar

"Senior U.S. official to exit after rift with Musk allies over payment system"

The highest-ranking career official at the Treasury Department, David A. Lebryk, is departing after a clash with allies of billionaire Elon Musk. Surrogates of Musk’s DOGE effort had sought access to the sensitive payment system the U.S. government uses to disburse trillions of dollars every year.

Lebryk had served in nonpolitical roles at Treasury for several decades, and President Trump named Lebryk as Acting Treasury Secretary upon taking office last week.

https://wapo.st/4jH7XYa

(I’ve mildly edited the above text for compactness.) The fact that Musk wants access to these government payment systems is absolutely insane! This should raise alarm in anybody with more than two functioning brain cells.

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JanusIanitos's avatar

I wish more of these people were staying on and forcing someone up above to fire them for non compliance rather than resigning in protest. All the protest-resignations do is allow republicans to push out people until they find someone that will comply, all with little political cost.

I get that it's a more complex question for any individual person and that facing the threats, both implied and direct, is not trivial. I still wish they were going about it differently.

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Miguel Parreno's avatar

Same thing happened with the Census office. I guess I get why they do it but it's frustrating that they're just complying in advance.

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Ann Shellly Gilley's avatar

I agree. Musk knows that he and his surrogates are only allowed access to non secure government information and systems. The Treasury payment system is highly secured.

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Zero Cool's avatar

Perhaps Democrats should push legislation to prevent anyone like Musk from being able to get access to this information if such laws don't already exist.

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Jonathan's avatar

Trump is President; do you think that this Congress would do such legislation??.. C'mon man

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Zero Cool's avatar

When Democrats have control over Congress then yes, that's more appropriate. They're more likely to win control over the House than the Senate in 2026 though.

However, the issue on Musk & Co. trying to get access to secured information is not something I'd see independent and moderate voters really approve of.

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Jonathan's avatar

Lmao; that's after the next election; which is the point

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Zero Cool's avatar

Yes but to the point in my 2nd paragraph, Democrats still can run on the issue for the midterms.

Passing through Congress or not, the issue can still be used against the GOP in the VA-GOV race and the midterms.

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