In general terms - just about every Government Contract can be terminated fairly - Politics Forum

functions. Example - Congress funds the DoD with a big pot of money designated for "Operations and Maintenance" (O&M). Congress doesn't dictate to the DoD the contracts they must/must not have to support that portion of DoD's mission - that is on the Executive Branch (i.e. DoD to do). Out of the Congressionally appropriated O&M budget the DoD contracts training materials, training instructors, repair parts, and other things that all fall under the O&M funding category. Now DoD can't take O&M funds and contract to build barracks or office buildings with that money because that would be out of the scope for which Congress gave those funds to DoD.

Generally speaking this is how our Government operates with every Government Agency. Contracting is an Executive Branch function. Congress appropriates funds to the Executive Branch Agencies through the budget process and those Agencies then use those funds to execute their missions - many times through Government contracts and through the policy directives/guidelines of the President. Biden cancelled the Trump Admins Southern Border Wall contracts on his first day in office. Republicans in Congress groused over it but at the end of the day it was within Biden's purview to do.

Now... Every so often Congress will be very specific and appropriate funds in a spending bill with a very precise, designated use where whatever responsible Agency must use those funds as directed in the law. Even so - Congress doesn't make those Contracts or supervise them - the responsible Agency still executes and the supervises the contract. But realize that is not the majority of Government Contracts - Congress simply cannot get that much in the weeds for the millions of Government contracts that are done by our Federal behemoth. Congresses role is to appropriate funds, then provide oversite to ensure the Executive Agencies are using those funds as Congress intended - usually through Congressional hearings and audits by the GAO.

So ultimately - Congress can put limits on the types of things the appropriated money can be spent on but those appropriations nets are usually fairly large where it is up to the Executive branch to execute the provided funding as they interpret the law.

tabbyplague®

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Short answer is because they ARE Government employees...

Feb 3, 2025, 3:27 PM

Lot's of incorrect info being spewed on here about the DOGE and it's members. First and foremost I recommend everyone read the actual EO that established DOGE to understand it's authorization:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/establishing-and-implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency/

Key points from the EO: The existing United States Digital Service (USDS) has been renamed United States DOGE Service and moved from OMB to the Executive Office of the President. Within the newly named US DOGE Service is the establishment of a Temporary Organization called the "the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization" (USDSTO) that has an 18 month assignment (ends 4 July 2026). All of this is legal IAW Section 3161 of Title 5, United States Code.

The people who work in the USDSTO can be both permanent Government Employee and/or a Special Government Employee (SGE). Yes - Elon Musk has been designated a SGE. You can do your own look up of what an SGE is/requirements but it is not unusual for these people to exist and work inside our Government.

https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-21153a742fbad86284369bb173ec343c

Next is access to Government information. One of the first EO's Trump signed was the following:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/memorandum-to-resolve-the-backlog-of-security-clearances-for-executive-office-of-the-president-personnel/

The President of the United States can grant/deny security clearances to anyone he wishes. Past Presidents have established processes and best practices for getting a US security clearance but at the end of the day the current President is not beholden to those processes and can do whatever he wants in this arena. The biggest reason I believe Trump issued this temporary security clearance EO was to quickly grant clearances to the folks working in the USDSTO so they would have access to the totality of bureaucratic spending. You may disagree with the process or not like "who" is getting access but you can bet the bank they are doing so legally with an authorized security clearance.

FYI - the new Treasury Secretary Bessent granted the DOGE team (who are in fact Government employees be it permanent or SGE) read access to the Treasury databases.

Recommend reading this column as well:

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/musk-aides-lock-government-workers-out-computer-systems-us-agency-sources-say-2025-01-31/

Even though the article has an overall negative tone towards DOGE the facts buried in it show that these Musk acquaintances/former employees are in fact Government appointees working in official roles. For example: Brian Bjelde as Special Advisor to OMB, Amanda Scales as OPM's Chief of Staff, and Riccardo Biasini as Senior Advisor. The fact that Musk recommended folks he knows to fill these positions is about as surprising as the Biden Admin filling these same positions years ago with insider/former Democratic operatives.

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can somebody splain how an unelected non-gov't employee can stroll into the

That would involve Congress doing their jobs,

Highest praise from a man of unmatched integrity.....

Re: Highest praise from a man of unmatched integrity.....

Only positive is the Supreme Court did not grant immunity in Trump's dealings

We cant read your mind

Re: We cant read your mind

Translation

Can you explain how you made it to this age; being fkn stupid and all..***

Why don't you walk us through exactly how Trump created an agency,

We've already had this convo, but feel free to notify scotus on your findi***

You haven't explained ANY of what I just asked.

In general terms - just about every Government Contract can be terminated fairly

Sorry, which section provides absolute authority over all government contracts

Re: Sorry, which section provides absolute authority over all government contracts

Congress funds the agencies who in turn contract as necessary to do their

Re: can somebody splain how an unelected non-gov't employee can stroll into the

Re: can somebody splain how an unelected non-gov't employee can stroll into the

Re: can somebody splain how an unelected non-gov't employee can stroll into the

Re: can somebody splain how an unelected non-gov't employee can stroll into the

"Crooked NGOs"

Imagine if it was Soros, Gates, or any other

Re: Imagine if it was Soros, Gates, or any other

right, that isn't quite the same as Soros himself getting dirty

Short answer is because they ARE Government employees...

Re: Short answer is because they ARE Government employees...

how did people miss that?

Re: can somebody splain how an unelected non-gov't employee can stroll into the

Trump won

Trump is winning

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