Start raising your voice - ask your elected officals and the GSA Inspector General to apply FACA to DOGE

[waterwatcher123]

Last edited Sat Dec 14, 2024, 10:44 PM - Edit history (1)

If you have a moment, consider writing to your U.S. Senators, Members of Congress, and the General Services Administration (GSA) to demand that they apply the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) to Musk and Ramaswamy's so called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and to any group providing advice to the Trump Administration. These are the email addresses for the GSA, who oversee FACA for the U.S. government (one is for the inspector general).

[e-mail]
[e-mail]
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Letter from Public Citizen on FACA:

"Dear Transition Co-Chairs Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon:

President-elect Trump has announced that he intends to name Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a “Department of Government Efficiency” (the Department) in the new administration. According to Mr. Trump, the Department “will provide advice and guidance from outside of Government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management and Budget [OMB] to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” Mr. Trump’s announcement did not indicate the date on which the Department would be established, but it stated that the Department “work will conclude no later than July 4, 2026,” approximately a year and half into Mr. Trump’s second term.

The Department, of course, is not a true governmental department, which can be created only by an act of Congress. Based on publicly available information about the Department’s purpose and proposed leadership, it appears that the Department will be subject to the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Accordingly, the Department must abide by the rules of that law and you should instruct Mr. Musk and Mr. Ramaswamy to prepare to conduct their operations in accordance with the law.

These requirements include establishing fair balance and representation on the committee, holding open meetings and maintaining and preserving records available to the public."

https://www.citizen.org/article/letter-to-trump-transition-team-on-doge-compliance-with-faca/

[XanaDUer2]

1. Kick nt

[Bluetus]

2. Perhaps mindful of fair use of the material, you left out the most important part

"These requirements include establishing fair balance and representation on the committee, holding open meetings and maintaining and preserving records available to the public."

In other words, we should have an injunction ready to go straight to court on Jan 20, just as soon as Musk makes any move whatsoever.

Demand that whatever they do, that there be an equal number of Dems in the room and cameras running.

Seriously folks, what else do we have to do that is more important than this? We don't need to be "working across the aisle" in a collegial way while these fascists are busily dismantling our government in the darkness. This must be one of our top priorities.

[waterwatcher123]

4. Good point - I am aware of what FACA includes (but it is not clear if you have not read through the guidance or law).

[Bluetus]

6. I was not aware, and am very happy you made this information available.

This is potentially a very powerful tool, if we get out in front of it and use it aggressively. Of course, we never know what this SCOTUS will do, but this is so clear-cut that all the lower courts should take a hard line on this.

And by being very vocal about the requirements of FACA, that should create a good opportunity to freeze Musk actions when (not if) he tries to sabotage the government without following the FACA rules.

[waterwatcher123]

10. This is one of the ways we can fight this administration (use the processes of government to make it difficult).

I worked in state government for thirty plus years and it always amazed me how few people commented officially on projects or proposals. A colleague of mine and I were relentless in our efforts to comment on the Coast Guard's proposal to continue an ancient tradition that allows ships to dump spilled cargo into the oceans and Great Lakes (spilled cargo even involves things like coal and grain treated with pesticides and fungicides). The Coast Guard is typically an exceptionally good organization. But this tradition and their overly friendly attitude toward polluting shipping practices was completely avoidable with a little due diligence. So, we forced the Coast Guard through two Environmental Impact Statements and got most of the other Great Lake’s states to follow our lead. This is the power of using existing laws and regulations to impact change. I know it works because this process has been used repeatedly with success. It just requires a commitment to follow the laws and to relentlessly comment and raise the visibility of these issues when anybody tries to act in contravention of laws.

[Meowmee]

3. Will do

[Skittles]

5. who the FUCK elected MUSK?

WTF IS GOING ON

[Martin Eden]

7. K&R

I predict FACA will be ignored, despite the law. Will it then go to the courts?

[Granny Blue]

8. brilliant! Will do!

[vanessa_ca]

9. Thank you. Will do! eom