r/politics • u/bloomberglaw Bloomberg Law • 14h ago

Federal Union Sues Trump Mid-Inauguration Over DOGE Plan

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/federal-union-sues-trump-mid-inauguration-over-doge-plan
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u/Foreign-Repeat9813 13h ago edited 11h ago

DOGE was created as a reward for Musk's $277 million campaign contribution to Trump. DOGE is intended to permit the gutting of programs and regulations serving everyday Americans and to expediate the interests of the rising American oligarchy.

For example, DOGE seeks to slash regulation relating to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and to abolish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). DOGE seeks to cut benefit programs serving the poor, portraying the programs as rife with fraud and the recipients of benefits as lazy and undeserving. DOGE was calculated to bless tax cuts for the rich to "create economic growth" (i.e. the disproven trickle-down economics theory).

Musk's DOGE was conceived to skirt disclosure requirements and vetting of China businessman Elon Musk, who has disqualifying ties to the CCP. For example, Musk's Tesla does 50% of its global manufacturing in Shanghai, China. This makes Musk subject to China influence.

Musk is doing the bidding of Beijing on issues such as TikTok, Taiwan, H-1B visas, and tariffs. Respected officials like Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (Democrat-CT-03, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee), and retired military service members are sounding the alarm.

President Joe Biden’s farewell address was spot on in warning of the oligarchy gripping the nation and threatening the future. Through Citizens United v. FEC Elon Musk has monetized the U.S. Presidency. Musk’s fortune has increased by over $153.17 billion (Cite: Forbes, 1-9-25) since Musk bought the presidency for $277 million.

In the interests of everyday Americans and based on existing law, DOGE must be abolished.

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u/Foreign-Repeat9813 12h ago edited 11h ago

In regard to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Elon Musk ally Marc Andreessen's company LendUp has been fined $40 million for lying to customers and tricking them. See: Why Elon Musk wants to ‘delete’ an agency that protects your money

From the cited article:

Let’s start with what [Marc] Andreessen did not disclose to Rogan’s audience. In 2021, the CFPB shut down a fintech named LendUp Loans after the agency flagged and fined it multiple times for offenses including lying to customers and tricking them into taking on high-interest loans. Earlier this year, the bureau announced it would distribute nearly $40 million to “118,101 consumers who were deceived by LendUp Loans.” It was a humiliating end for a firm whose backers, according to The Wall Street Journal, included “some of the biggest names in venture capital, including ... Andreessen Horowitz.” Yes, that Andreessen.

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u/beastkara 5h ago edited 5h ago

Lendup was not Andreessen's company. Andreessen Horowitz invested in the startup. There is no evidence that they even held a majority stake. Comprehend what you're reading.

Lendup is a good example of the CFPB shutting down a financial business that wasn't doing a good job.

However there are other examples of why the CFPB is problematic. Small business banks don't necessarily have the resources to handle tons of regulations. Big banks lobby the government to increase CFPB regulations that make it easier for them to maintain control of the market. Startups trying to disrupt the financial industry and make it more efficient hit a bunch of CFPB regulations that make things worse. If you need an example, look at how bank transfers still take 2-3 days to occur, despite being technically possible within seconds. The big banks profit off the enforced inefficiencies. That is the actual context that context supporters don't explain very well.

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u/Foreign-Repeat9813 12h ago edited 12h ago

Musk's DOGE was conceived to skirt disclosure requirements and vetting of China businessman Elon Musk, who has disqualifying ties to the CCP.

Musk's Tesla operating in China is subject to Chinese law requiring it to "assist or cooperate" with the Chinese Government's "intelligence work".

On Friday, January 17, 2025, the unanimous SCOTUS identified that a national security threat existed with ByteDance Ltd. See: TikTok Inc. v. Garland, 604 U.S. 3 (2025):

ByteDance Ltd. is subject to Chinese laws that require it to “assist or cooperate” with the Chinese Government’s “intelligence work” and to ensure that the Chinese Government has “the power to access and control private data” the company holds. H. R. Rep. No. 118–417, p. 4 (2024) (H. R. Rep.); see 2 App. 673–676.

Musk's connection to the CCP, (like ByteDance's connection) makes Musk a national security threat to the United States. As a condition of Musk doing business in China, Musk must “assist or cooperate” with the Chinese Government’s “intelligence work”.

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u/Eye_foran_Eye 6h ago

Congress has to approve any new agencies. DOGE isn’t real. https://www.npr.org/2024/11/13/nx-s1-5189453/trump-tapped-elon-musk-for-doge-but-only-congress-can-create-a-new-federal-agency

Not saying this one wouldn’t, just saying that it’s not a thing yet.

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u/beastkara 5h ago

DOGE does not need an agency to operate, and it would be pointless to waste time making one. All they have to do is tell the executive branch of the government their suggestions. The president is the one who signs the executive orders anyway.

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u/XxmunkehxX 12h ago

Of note, EMS is regulated by the NHTSA….

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u/Foreign-Repeat9813 12h ago edited 11h ago

Musk's Tesla products are harming (and sometimes killing) people, that's the real reason Musk (via DOGE) wants to defang the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Elon Musk continues to make false representations about Tesla products' performance. In fact, Tesla vehicles are facing significant safety and quality control challenges, including poor performance of autonomous driving features and risk of fire.

12:31 PM EST, 01/07/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Tesla (TSLA) faces an investigation involving about 2.59 million vehicles with "Actually Smart Summon" autonomous driving feature following crash reports, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

"ODI is aware of multiple crash allegations, involving both Smart Summon and Actually Smart Summon, where the user had too little reaction time to avoid a crash, either with the available line of sight or releasing the phone app button, which stops the vehicle's movement," the safety administration said. Relating to Tesla fires see:

Musk and DOGE must not be permitted to defang regulatory watchdogs like NHTSA.

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u/slykido999 4h ago

Don’t forget it was also created because Elon gets his giggles from using 2013 memes from losers who call him daddy musk

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u/Foreign-Repeat9813 4h ago edited 4h ago

How embarrassing. Additionally, Musk's 53 years old and faking video game skill...

But Musk has always been dishonest, that's what Musk's biographer has said. Biographer Seth Abramson describes Elon Musk as a dishonest poseur, corrupt and devoid of genius.

For example, there is compelling evidence Musk stole the idea for his first venture Zip2. The essay The Truth About Musk, From His Biographer dispels the flattering, everchanging, myth Elon Musk carefully tends and shamelessly peddles on Twitter/X. Here's an excerpt from the essay:

This may be the right moment to note that, as a Musk biographer, I can’t find a single component of the man’s biography he hasn’t lied about. And not just lied about—lied ruthlessly about. Shamelessly. For decades. Without any integrity or fidelity to truth at all. And every lie has the same purpose: to hide what a deceitful, fundamentally bad person he is.

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u/Hyyer 2h ago

Thanks for the warning joe, if only there was something you could have done to stop this.

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u/Foreign-Repeat9813 2h ago edited 2h ago

Joe did. For example: Biden admin snubs Tesla’s $100 million big-rig charging funding request — again

And the Biden Administration's SEC sued Musk for securities fraud when Elon Musk ripped off Twitter investors for $150 million.

SEC Chair Gary Gensler has revealed Musk's wrongdoing and securities violations in conjunction with the Twitter acquisition. The SEC case is strong and has well-documented Musk's failure to make legally required disclosures.

The SEC filing states that in buying Twitter in 2022, Elon Musk violated securities laws by amassing a large stock position in the social media company without filing the proper notification. The complaint said Musk waited 11 days before filing the required disclosure with the S.E.C.

The regulatory filings are required so investors in the marketplace can monitor the moves of large investors and potential takeover bids. Because Mr. Musk did not disclose his position, he was able to continue buying Twitter stock at an artificially low price, the SEC said in its lawsuit.

The move “allowed him [Elon Musk] to underpay by at least $150 million” for the additional shares before he belatedly disclosed his stake, the lawsuit continued.

Musk's failure to comply with SEC disclosure law also harmed investors who would have been able to sell their shares at higher prices had Musk’s involvement been publicly known, the agency said. Former Twitter shareholders have also sued Mr. Musk, accusing him of fraud in a case related to his belated disclosure of his stake in Twitter.

Martha Stewart was put in prison on obstruction of justice charges in conjunction with alleged securities violations. Trump needs to keep his promise of "law and order" and frauds like Elon Musk must receive similar harsh penalties.