Congressman Tim Kennedy released the following statement after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent granted Elon Musk and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to sensitive Treasury Department payment systems and private data:
“Enabled by Treasury Secretary Bessent, Elon Musk has bullied his way into accessing Treasury Department payment systems and private personal data, including that of Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries. Under the guise of efficiency, the Trump Administration has auctioned off our institutions to benefit the richest man in the world. This cannot stand.
“I am working with my Congressional colleagues on legislation to prevent unlawful access to the Department of Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service Payment System, coordinating with outside groups to explore legal options to prevent violations of the public’s trust, and working to ensure people’s personal information is secure.
“I will never back down from attacks on our democracy’s system of checks and balances so that our government works for all Americans.”
The Treasury Department is responsible for processing funding obligated by law, including Social Security benefits, Medicare disbursements, federal salaries, and payments to federal contractors. On February 1, Elon Musk, head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), forcefully infiltrated the Treasury Department’s federal payment system. As DOGE has no formal authority, the decision, made by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, came after significant internal resistance, notably from long-serving Treasury official David Lebryk, whose departure highlights deep concerns about politicizing a system traditionally managed by career civil servants. This decision by the Trump administration grants the CEO of multiple private companies with numerous federal contracts complete access to privileged information, creating unprecedented conflicts of interest. This move jeopardizes the security of sensitive taxpayer data and opens the door to potential political interference in the disbursement of federal funds.
