Trump ally, whose team has reportedly gained access to sensitive data, accused of ‘desecrating our constitution’

Summary

Hundreds of protesters, joined by Democratic lawmakers, rallied outside the Treasury Department, condemning Elon Musk’s “hostile takeover” of federal financial systems.

Lawmakers, including Maxine Waters and Ayanna Pressley, attempted to enter the building but were turned away.

Treasury officials later claimed that Musk’s team had “read-only” access to coded payment data, but concerns persist over security risks and misuse of taxpayer information.

Protesters fear Musk’s influence is part of a broader effort to dismantle government institutions and exploit federal systems for financial gain.

  • GiddyGap@lemm.ee
    51·
    60 minutes ago

    Sorry, but none of this matters. Republicans are all powerful now. They have the White House, the House, the Senate, SCOTUS, the Fed, the Treasury. For the next two years, they can do whatever they want and act however they like. The voters walked right into this with eyes wide open. I don’t want to hear the excuses and cries. America is just getting what it voted for.

    • leftytighty@slrpnk.netEnglish
      1·
      40 minutes ago

      Very inspiring speech: we will vote against them on the beaches when they let us and hopefully there’s not too much interference so it’s a fair election.

      Fucking fight back, join protests / join unions / riot.

      MAGA blew up power infrastructure and stormed the Capitol over made up shit and the best you can do is “we’ll vote em next time!”

      Political impotence.

  • SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world
    411·
    11 hours ago

    I hope their protest involves they stop approving his fascist political agenda

    They keep passing laws, they keep approving appointments

    If they want to actually stop this then they need to stop being complicit

    • LandedGentry@lemmy.zipEnglish
      3·
      1 hour ago

      Seriously they need to grind every gear possible until musk is escorted out of the building. No conversations about bills or appointments or anything should occur the rabid dog is put on a leash and contained.

  • ShepherdPie@midwest.social
    183·
    10 hours ago

    Hundreds of protesters, joined by Democratic lawmakers, rallied outside the Treasury Department"

    Standing around outside being concerned and condemning actions that are actively occurring on the other side of the wall is really going to make an impact. Their literal job title is “representative” so maybe they should start acting like it.

    • usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml
      211·
      10 hours ago

      Notably they have no majorities in either the house or senate. They can slow things down - and they have pledged to use some of the tools to do so until Musk stops his insanity - but they cannot do a ton directly more without Republican support

      • ShepherdPie@midwest.social
        91·
        9 hours ago

        These actions aren’t being conducted in the house or senate, though. If the rules don’t apply anymore, then what’s stopping them from barging in there and kicking his ass out? How would Trump having a sitting representative or senator arrested play out in the media? Democrats need to take some pages out of the Republican playbook. Committees, harsh letters, and bureaucracy aren’t the path out of this.

        • usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml
          10·
          9 hours ago

          Notably they actually did try to barge in. From the article

          Minutes earlier, a handful of lawmakers, including Crockett, Pressley, Frost and Jamie Raskin, had attempted to get inside the treasury department before being rebuffed.

          They also tried to get into USAID yesterday

          • ShepherdPie@midwest.social
            1·
            2 hours ago

            I did see that. If being told “no” by some security guard at the door is all it takes for them to back down, then we might as well accept our fate now because we’re completely defenseless against what’s coming.