The Treasury Department's Office of Inspector General has launched an audit of the security controls for the federal government's payment system following concerns raised by Democratic senators about Elon Musk's DOGE accessing the system. The audit will also review the past two years of transactions related to Musk's claims of 'alleged fraudulent payments'. This move comes amid broader efforts by Democratic lawmakers and federal employee unions to ensure transparency and accountability in government operations under the Trump administration.
People listen to speakers during a rally against Elon Musk outside the Treasury Department in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025. WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department ’s Office of Inspector General on Friday said it was launching an audit of the security controls for the federal government’s payment system, after Democratic senators raised red flags about The audit will also review the past two years of the system’s transactions as it relates to Musk’s assertion of “alleged fraudulent payments,” according to a letter from Loren J.
Sciurba, Treasury’s deputy inspector general, that was obtained by The Associated Press. The audit marks part of the broader effort led by Democratic lawmakers and federal employee unions to provide transparency and accountability about under President Donald Trump’s Republican administration. The Musk team has pushed for access to the government’s computer systems and sought to remove tens of thousands of federal workers. “We expect to begin our fieldwork immediately,” Sciurba wrote. “Given the breadth of this effort, the audit will likely not be completed until August; however, we recognize the danger that improper access or inadequate controls can pose to the integrity of sensitive payment systems. As such, if critical issues come to light before that time, we will issue interim updates and reports.” while providing savings to taxpayers, many of his claims so far unsubstantiated. But there is a risk that his team’s aggressive efforts could lead to the failure of government computer systems and enable Musk and his partners to profit off private information maintained by the government.National Politics |The audit would overlap with increased pressure that the Trump administration is placing on inspectors general, presidential appointees who are supposed to serve as an independent check against mismanagement and abuse of government power. In January, at government agencies, a move that some members of Congress said violated federal oversight laws. The firings prompted a lawsuit filed on Wednesday in federal court in Washington that Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Ron Wyden of Oregon led the push for the inspector general office’s inquiry at the Treasury.“Your lack of candor about these events is deeply troubling given the threats to the economy and the public from DOGE’s meddling, and you need to provide a clear, complete, and public accounting of who accessed the systems, what they were doing, and why they were doing it,” the Democratic lawmakers wrote in their letter. The Treasury Department provided conflicting information about DOGE’s access to the payment system. Initially, it claimed the access was read only, only to then acknowledge that a DOGE team member briefly had the ability to edit code, and then to say in an employee sworn statement that the ability to edit was granted by accident. The 25-year-old employee granted the access, Marko Elez, resigned this month after racist posts were discovered on one of his social media accounts, only for Musk to over DOGE’s potential unauthorized access to sensitive Treasury payment systems, and five former treasury secretaries have sounded the alarm on the risks associated with Musk’s DOGE accessing sensitive Treasury Department payment systems and potentially stopping congressionally authorized payments. Earlier this week, the Treasury declined to brief a pair of the highest-ranking lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee, including Wyden, on the ongoing controversy related to DOGE’s use of Treasury payment systems, citing ongoing litigation.Southern California storm intensifies, raising risk of floods and debris flows to a ‘life-threatening’ situationLA County judge admonished for rifling through offices of fellow jurists after hoursThis Los Angeles restaurant made it into Yelp’s top 100 for 2025Flash flood warning issued for Los Angeles County until Thursday eveningParole again rejected for former LAPD detective who killed her ex-lover’s new wife in Van Nuys Gabriel Fernandez, 8, was tortured to death. His mother didn’t like her life sentence. This is what a judge had to say. Gabriel Fernandez, 8, was tortured to death. His mother didn’t like her life sentence. This is what a judge had to say.Jack the Ripper victim’s family demands investigation after alleged DNA ID of killer The price of eggs just hit an all-time high. Here’s how the cost of everyday consumer goods is changing under the Trump administration. Millions flow to wealthy families, pricey private schools under Florida’s supercharged voucher program
ELON MUSK DOGE TREASURY DEPARTMENT PAYMENT SYSTEMS AUDIT
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