Department of Government Efficiency
On January 31, reports began emerging from the Treasury Department that senior civil servants were resisting requests from the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) concerning access to the payment systems the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) operates.[2] In the days since, officials affiliated with DOGE have been granted certain access to BFS systems, although press reports have varied on the exact nature of this access.[3]For the first time in decades, the Secretary of the Treasury has delegated the responsibilities of overseeing payment systems to a political official rather than a nonpartisan career civil servant with long expertise and experience in these matters, even while that political official maintains his role as a private company CEO.
DOGE head Elon Musk — who is reportedly “fixated on the Treasury system as a key to cutting federal spending”[4] — has since tweeted about DOGE’s intention to stop certain payments as well as his view that civil servants at BFS are criminally enabling fraudulent payments, which must be addressed.[5] The New York Times has reported that “Trump administration appointees and allies of Elon Musk” requested that career officials use the BFS payment systems to freeze federal payments, prior to political appointees gaining access.[6] For the first time in decades, the Secretary of the Treasury has delegated the responsibilities of overseeing these payment systems to a political official rather than a nonpartisan career civil servant with long expertise and experience in these matters, even while that political official maintains his role as a private company CEO.[7]
Here’s some source code –I noticed some funny comments:
“According to the Social Security database, these are the numbers of people in each age bucket with the death field set to FALSE!\n\nMaybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security 🤣🤣 — can you find it?
<!DOCTYPE html><html lang=”en” class=”h-full”><head><meta charSet=”utf-8″/><meta name=”viewport” content=”width=device-width, initial-scale=1″/><link rel=”preload” as=”image” href=”https://x.com/DOGE,” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” class=”text-blue-400 hover:underline break-words”>@DOGE,</a> <!– –>I<!– –> <!– –>just<!– –> <!– –>CANCELLED<!– –> <!– –>9<!– –> <!– –>more<!– –> <!– –>wasteful<!– –> <a href=”https://x.com/EPA” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” class=”text-blue-400 hover:underline break-words”>@EPA</a> <!– –>DEI<!– –> <!– –>and<!– –> <!– –>Environmental<!– –> <!– –>Justice<!– –> <!– –>contracts,<!– –> <!– –>saving<!– –> <!– –>American<!– –> <!– –>taxpayers<!– –> <!– –>another<!– –> <!– –>~$60<!– –> <!– –>MILLION.<!– –> <!– –>I’m<!– –> <!– –>just<!– –> <!– –>warming<!– –> <!– –>up!<!– –> <!– –>I<!– –> <!– –>have<!– –> <!– –>ZERO<!– –> <!– –>tolerance<!– –> <!– –>for<!– –> <!– –>even<!– –> <!– –>a<!– –> <!– –>penny<!– –> <!– –>of<!– –> <!– –>your<!– –> <!– –>hard-earned<!– –> <!– –>tax<!– –> <!– –>dollars<!– –> <!– –>to<!– –> <!– –>be<!– –> <!– –>wasted<!– –> <!– –>or<!– –> <!– –x items-center mr-1.5″>Lee Zeldin</a><span class=”text-gray-400 text-sm”>@<!– –>epaleezeldin</span></div></div><div class=”min-w-0″><div class=”break-words text-sm”><div class=”mb-2″><div class=”break-words text-sm”>🚨I<!– –> <!– –>just<!– –> <!– –>cancelled<!– –> <!– –;/div></div></div></div></div><div class=”border-2 border-gray-600 bg-black rounded-md”><div class=”p-4 flex flex-col justify-center text-white bg-ampac-blue border-gray-700 relative md:text-base text-sm”><div class=”flex flex-col mb-2″><div class=”flex items-start justify-between”><div classrel=”noreferrer noopener”> /_next/image?url=https%3A%”,\”text\”:\”According to the Social Security database, these are the numbers of people in each age bucket with the death field set to FALSE!\\n\\nMaybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security 🤣🤣 https://t.co/ltb06VX98Z\”,\”user\”:{\”username\”:\”elonmusk\”,\”name\”:\”Elon ,\”text\”:\”🚨I just cancelled a $50 MILLION Biden-era environmental justice grant to the Climate Justice Alliance, which believes “climate justice travels through a Free Palestine”.\”,\”user\”:{\”username\”:\”epaleezeldin\”,\”name\”:\”Lee me\”:\”border-2 border-gray-600 bg-black rounded-md\”,\”children\”:[\”$\”,\”$Le\”,null,{\”tweet\”:Musk\”,\”profile_image_url\”:\”https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1874558173962481664/8HSTqIlD_normal.jpg\”}}]}}]}],[\”$\”,\”div\”,\”1889113011282907434\”,{\”className\”:\”border-2 border-gray-600 bg-black rounded-md\”,\”children\”:[\”$\”,\”$Le\”,null,{\”tweet\”:{\”id\”:\”1889113011282907434\”,\”text\”:\”Also today, the Department Of Education terminated 89 contracts worth $881mm. \\n\\nOne contractor was paid $1.5mm to “observe mailing and clerical operations” at a mail center.” https://t.co/VaAw1vNAoa\”,\”attachments\”:[],\”created_at\”:\”2025-02-11T00:43:34.000Z\”,\”referenced_tweets\”:[{\”id\”:\”1889105335991820585\”,\”text\”:\”Today, the Department of Education terminated 29 DEI training grants totaling $101mm. \\n\\nOne sought to train teachers to “help students understand / interrogate the complex histories involved in oppression, and help students recognize areas of privilege”])</script><script>self.__next_f.push([1,” and power on an individual… https://t.co/V2UnowIjeS\”,\”user\”:{\”username\”:\”DOGE\”,\”name\”:\”Department of Government Efficiency\”,\”profile_image_url\”:\”https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1856763811186999296/p9VACiBj_normal.jpg\”}}]}}]}],[\”$\”,\”div\”,\”1889105335991820585\”,{\”className\”:\”border-2 border-gray-600 bg-black rounded-md\”,\”children\”:[\”$\”,\”$Le\”,null,{\”tweet\”:{\”id\”:\”1889105335991820585\”,\”text\”:\”Today, the Department of Education terminated 29 DEI training grants totaling $101mm. \\n\\nOne sought to train teachers to “help students understand / interrogate the complex histories involved in oppression, and help students recognize areas of privilege and power on an individual… https://t.co/V2UnowIjeS\”,\”attachments\”:[],\”created_at\”:\”2025-02-11T00:13:04.000Z\”}}]}],[\”$\”,\”div\”,\”1889086583933956582\”,{\”className\”:\”border-2 border-gray-600 bg-black rounded-md\”,\”children\”:[\”$\”,\”$Le\”,null,{\”tweet\”:{\”id\”:\”1889086583933956582\”,\”text\”:\”Today, the Department of Agriculture terminated 18 contracts for a total of ~$9mm, including contracts for “Central American gender assessment consultant services”, “Brazil forest and gender consultant services”, and the “women in forest carbon initiative mentorship program.”\”,\”attachments\”:[],\”created_at\”:\”2025-02-10T22:58:33.000Z\”}}]}],[\”$\”,\”div\”,\”1888449909335998485\”,{\”className\”:\”border-2 border-gray-600 bg-black rounded-md\”,\”children\”:[\”$\”,\”$Le\”,null,{\”tweet\”:{\”id\”:\”1888449909335998485\”,\”text\”:\”Adjustment to DHS website https://t.co/zJcFdtjCTE\”,\”attachments\”:[{\”media_key\”:\”3_1888449902918688768\”,\”type\”:\”photo\”,\”url\”:\”https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GjUfLmeW4AAYMsU.jpg\”},{\”media_key\”:\”3_1888449902859927552\”,\”type\”:\”photo\”,\”url\”:\”https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GjUfLmQWQAA_lKf.jpg\”}],\”created_at\”:\”2025-02-09T04:48:38.000Z\”}}]}],[\”$\”,\”div\”,\”1888048223677301149\”,{\”className\”:\”border-2 border-gray-600 bg-black rounded-md\”,\”children\”:[\”$\”,\”$Le\”,null,{\”tweet\”:{\”id\”:\”1888048223677301149\”,\”text\”:\”Gulf of America\\n\\nhttps://t.co/u9JEjbRdLB\\n\\nhttps://t.co/LSh1k0JWTF https://t.co/fP8zd44VWn\”,\”attachments\”:[{\”media_key\”:\”3_1888048220300869632\”,\”type\”:\”photo\”,\”url\”:\”https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GjOx2mHXgAANKJW.jpg\”}],\”created_at\”:\”2025-02-08T02:12:29.000Z\”}}]}],[\”$\”
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION:BLOOMBERG SUBSCRIPTION: https://www.fpds.gov/common/jsp/LaunchWebPage.jsp?command=execute&requestid=239617038&version=1.5 https://www.fpds.gov/common/jsp/LaunchWebPage.jsp?command=execute&requestid=239615184&version=1.5 https://youtu.be/GaZ7g0mPhLA?si=oUpiJbQUS0V3a3l3 Protecting U.S. Taxpayers: A Fact-Based Approach to Enhancing Security and EfficiencyThe U.S. government’s financial systems are critical to the nation’s stability, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are allocated efficiently and securely. However, recent developments involving the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its access to Treasury payment systems have raised concerns about transparency, cybersecurity, and the potential for political interference in nonpartisan financial operations. As the government seeks to modernize and streamline its processes, it must prioritize the protection of taxpayer funds and sensitive data. Below are three actionable steps the U.S. government should take to safeguard taxpayers and ensure the integrity of its financial systems: 1. Enforce Strict Oversight and Nonpartisan GovernanceThe delegation of Treasury payment system oversight to political appointees, rather than career civil servants with deep expertise, poses significant risks. Political interference in financial operations could lead to decisions that prioritize short-term gains or ideological goals over fiscal responsibility and security. To mitigate this, the government should:
2. Enhance Cybersecurity MeasuresThe increasing digitization of government financial systems makes them vulnerable to cyberattacks, fraud, and data breaches. Recent reports of unauthorized access to Treasury systems highlight the urgent need for robust cybersecurity protocols. The government should:
3. Improve Transparency and AccountabilityTaxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent, yet gaps in traceability and reporting have made it difficult to track federal payments. The recent requirement to include the Treasury Account Symbol (TAS) in all payments is a step in the right direction, but more can be done. The government should:
ConclusionThe U.S. government has a responsibility to protect taxpayer dollars and maintain public trust in its financial systems. By enforcing strict oversight, enhancing cybersecurity, and improving transparency, the government can ensure that its operations are both efficient and secure. These steps will not only safeguard taxpayer funds but also strengthen the integrity of the nation’s financial infrastructure. As the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) continues its efforts to streamline federal spending, it must remain committed to these principles, ensuring that its actions are guided by facts, expertise, and a dedication to the public good. –compliments from @deepseek. The Treasury Access Symbol (TAS) is an identification code linking a Treasury payment to a budget line item (standard financial process). In the Federal Government, the TAS field was optional for ~$4.7 Trillion in payments and was often left blank, making traceability almost impossible. As of Saturday, this is now a required field, increasing insight into where money is actually going. Thanks to for the great work. https://tfx.treasury.gov/taxonomy/term/10257 https://www.federalreserve.gov https://cyberintel.substack.com/p/doge-exposes-once-secret-government https://www.wired.com/story/doge-website-is-just-one-big-x-ad PERSONAL  https://www.linkedin.com/in/desirelovell https://github.com/desirelovellcom https://linktr.ee/desirelovell https://www.reddit.com/user/desirelovell |