A coalition of Democratic lawmakers is launching an investigation into the “alarming extent” to which staffers with the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) have embedded themselves in businesses throughout the federal government.
“Although Elon Musk has departed, his influence remains, as DOGE and its employees attempt to become a permanent part of the federal government, scattered across agencies where they can continue to sabotage key functions from within,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to the Workplace of Administration and Funds (OMB) and the Workplace of Personnel Administration (OPM).
“The conversion of DOGE appointees to career federal service roles—even as most agencies are under a hiring freeze—could potentially run afoul of laws that explicitly ban political considerations and loyalty tests in hiring practices. Additionally, it is unclear who newly embedded DOGE staff are accountable to and if they truly serve within the chain of command of the agencies they work for.”
The inquiry, spearheaded by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), was launched in reference to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Home Oversight and Authorities Reform Committee rating member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.).
OPM pushed again, saying any DOGE staff who’ve remained at their assigned businesses have accomplished so after being employed as political appointees, not as profession staffers, whereas noting the method to transition from one to the opposite.
“Senator Warren’s letter misconstrues the civil service hiring process. OPM’s Office of Merit Systems Accountability and Compliance reviews all requests to appoint current or recent political appointees to career roles for compliance with merit systems principles and civil service laws,” OPM Director Scott Kupor mentioned in a press release.
“In addition, all federal hires undergo required background checks, ethics reviews, and suitability screenings. No DOGE-affiliated individuals have ‘unlawfully burrowed’ into career roles. We welcome oversight grounded in facts.”
The letter cites an NPR investigation from June that discovered a number of DOGE roles had been transformed to everlasting jobs throughout the authorities. It additionally notes some DOGE personnel had transitioned from roles as “particular authorities staff,” that are time-limited, to “full-time federal workers.”
The lawmakers ask for plenty of particulars about DOGE together with the whole variety of DOGE staff with a breakdown by company, a listing of who they report back to and whether or not any have been employed for “competitive federal positions.” It additionally asks whether or not any have been reviewed for potential conflicts of curiosity earlier than being employed as particular authorities staff.
