Elon Musk’s Control of Federal Payment System Sparks Outrage and Calls for Investigation
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WASHINGTON – A bombshell report alleging that tech mogul Elon Musk is deploying young, inexperienced engineers to take control of the federal payment system sparked outrage among lawmakers, with one top Democrat calling for an immediate congressional investigation.
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, voiced strong concerns Monday during an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett on OutFront, where he addressed the findings of a new Wired report. The article detailed how engineers, aged 19 to 24, are allegedly playing a pivotal role as Musk tightens his grip on key government infrastructure.
“I think it’s outrageous,” Connolly said. “It’s unacceptable, and it really gives the lie to any kind of idea that thoughtful analysis has gone into this kind of decision-making.” The Virginia lawmaker dismissed the notion that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) could face potential shutdown or absorption into the State Department, all based on recommendations from a small group of young engineers.
“Hundreds of years of aggregate experience in humanitarian assistance – child and maternal health care, famine relief, refugee assistance, disaster assistance – is going to be thrown out the window by a team of six young men just graduating from high school or college,” he said.
The controversy stems from concerns about Musk’s access to financial and sensitive government data, raising alarm over security implications and transparency. Connolly emphasized that he has no knowledge of how Musk and his aides are handling the information now available to them.
In response, he urged House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) to subpoena Musk and require him to testify before Congress. The call for oversight comes as Musk, through his influence in the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), faces growing scrutiny over his involvement in federal operations.
“What is Elon Musk doing getting into payment systems, which gets into databases, right?” Connolly asked. “Why did he get access? How did he get access? And what is he doing with it?”
With concerns mounting over the extent of Musk’s influence on critical government functions, lawmakers are now weighing potential oversight measures to address the situation. Whether the committee will take action remains uncertain, but the pressure for accountability continues to build.
