Musk is Hijacking Sensitive Data

Unelected and unconfirmed multi-billionaire Elon Musk and his gang of accomplices have illegally and unconstitutionally gained access to a sensitive Treasury Department system responsible for trillions of dollars in U.S. government payments. Access to this system has historically been closely guarded due to the personal information it contains about millions of Americans who receive Social Security checks, tax refunds and other payments by the federal government. Not anymore.

Washington Sen. Patty Murray, ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, stated: “An unelected, unaccountable billionaire with expansive conflicts of interest, deep ties to China and an industry ax to grind against perceived enemies is hijacking our nation’s most sensitive financial systems and its checkbook.”

Being one who relies on Social Security and Medicare, my warning bells are ringing on high alert. Is part of the Trump/Musk plan to gather data to attack these programs? What does this mean for the protection of personal information? I have been a victim of stolen personal information in the past and it took me a good part of a year to convince the financial world I am really me. We do not need some “unofficial federal employee” and his hirelings messing around with the repository of our personal data!

Another huge issue is the fact that Musk is a major government contractor (SpaceX and who knows what else.) I am sure all other government contractors fear the conflict of interest inherent in Elon’s digging around in the various payments for their services.

If spending is a real issue with Trump and his minions, then deal with it as the Constitution defines: Congress acts, and the President approves. Let’s keep this in the framework of our democracy, not based on the whim of a major political contributor!

Ed Shaffer

Galien