# Elon Musk got access to the Federal Payment System **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** elon-musk\ **Created:** [February 2, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755 "2025-02-02T13:53:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/61 "2025-02-04T03:55:10Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > Well, everyone who has a Republican representative of senator should be absolutely flooding them with calls and emails. Our toady of a Senator, Roger Marshall, is one of DJT’s biggest boot-lickers. It was reported on social media today that his phone system was overwhelmed with calls and the voice mailbox was full. Won’t move his partisan ass one inch, but it’s something. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/62 "2025-02-04T07:20:20Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > Well, everyone who has a Republican representative of senator should be absolutely flooding them with calls and emails. They do keep a tally, its a part of how they track reactions. Over in the clusterfuck continues thread, I posted [the text of my E-mail to my complicit congressman](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues/1010068/1489): > We are now just two weeks into Trump’s second term as president. He proved beyond a doubt, as the House of Representatives concluded, twice during his first term, he is unfit to serve in the highest and most important political office in the world. Every day since he began his second term, he has alienated our allies and ignored federal laws and the constitution of the United States. > > Article II, Section 4 of the constitution states: > > > “The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” > > Using our military for domestic law enforcement, allowing non-governmental employees unfettered access to supposedly secure and protected electronic data of American citizens, and a host of other actions by him are criminal. He is unfit and, in fact, is not actually running the executive department of the United States government. > > Why have you not introducted a bill of impeachment against this convicted felon who should not be in office in the first place? Feel free to copy. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/63 "2025-02-04T08:11:52Z")
> **[Meagan Hatcher-Mays (@importantmeagan.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/importantmeagan.bsky.social/post/3lh7zn4xslc2r)** > > look I’m no messaging expert but it seems like the American people might be interested to know that Donald Trump just gave our social security numbers to a teen called BigBalls > > \[contains quote post or other embedded content\] ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/64 "2025-02-04T16:12:05Z")
If I had a Republican representative, I would be asking them whether they planned to assert their Constitutional authority or remain subservient to the White House. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/65 "2025-02-04T19:14:56Z")
If you had a Republican representative, that representative’s staff wouldn’t even mention your question to the representative if they bothered to read it at all. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/66 "2025-02-04T20:04:50Z")
i said that musk doesn’t only have democrat’s information. he has your information. i don’t think it made much of an impact on david mccormick. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/67 "2025-02-05T00:30:00Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > There is a rally at Treasury tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb 4. Here’s a thread I started about it. Here’s a link to the livestream of Tuesday’s rally at Treasury. There were quite a few congresspeople, including Jamie Raskin of Maryland and both of Massachusetts’ senators, Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren. > **[‼️RALLY AT THE TREASURY‼️ Nobody Elected Elon!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZXyEUFfwb8%2F)** > > Rally at the Treasury building to stop Elon Musk’s billionaire takeover. Nobody elected Elon! We need everyone to fight this hostile takeover at every level—... ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/68 "2025-02-05T02:20:55Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > There is a rally at Treasury tomorrow, This one seems legit but someone is apparently spreading rumors about fake rallies. Okay, I got this from a trusted friend who is more political than I am- believe it or not. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/69 "2025-02-05T02:52:49Z")
> [@LouMa](#): > > Obviously people don’t object that a personality like Musk has access to very private and sensitive data of normal citizens. Is he bound by professional secrecy? Would he respect this obligation if it existed? Would he use this knowledge to his advantage? I guess they don’t object that much since X still has like 600 million users. And is it any different from a private firm like Booz Allen Hamilton or KPMG that works with the government and might handle sensitive personal or financial data ? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/70 "2025-02-05T03:03:36Z")
I have one. Marsha Blackburn. All responses to citizen inquiries have been form letters for years. She is unplugged from the community, except for Culture Wars. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/71 "2025-02-05T03:55:44Z")
I’ve heard that one claiming 50 marches at each of the 50 state capitals tomorrow may be suspect, but haven’t confirmed that. Here’s what Snopes found: > **[What we know about nationwide anti-Trump protests on Feb. 5](https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/02/04/anti-trump-state-capitol-protests-february-5/)** > > Posts on various social media platforms called for demonstrators to show up at all 50 U.S. state capitols. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/72 "2025-02-05T04:28:37Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > And is it any different from a private firm like Booz Allen Hamilton or KPMG that works with the government and might handle sensitive personal or financial data ? Of course it is mr false equivalency. Teenage Muskovites have unfettered access, even if it is read-only, to the data. KPMG only has access to certain data, and actually has and follows requirements about personally identifiable data (PID). Nor does KPMG take on the “retribution” of Making China Great Again Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/73 "2025-02-05T07:37:10Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > And is it any different from a private firm Of course it is, and you will learn that in due course, the hard way. Nobody earns from other üeople’s mistakes, it seems. That’s a pity. ---
**Author:** ![LouMa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/louma/32/19472_2.png) [@LouMa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouMa)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/74 "2025-02-05T08:42:58Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > And is it any different from a private firm like Booz Allen Hamilton or KPMG that works with the government and might handle sensitive personal or financial data ? My hair stands on end when I imagine that these young guys handle data like social security numbers of American citizens without any security clearance. Imagine your health situation is known to these guys, a person could be blackmailed for a mental health problem, their data could be accessible in social media. This has happened in Finland not long ago. Protocols of psychological treatment went online, heads of staff or superiors in companies found their marital and/or alcohol issues accessible for everyone online. In this case the files were hacked, this was considered a crime. In the US situation now no hacking is necessary, the Muskovites can use their information for extortion, they can sell data or use them in private conflicts. Where is the difference to dictatorial systems where normal citizens depend on the goodwill of a dictator’s buddy? Think of Putin, Ceausescu, Hitler and so on. In Germany people are extremely data protection sensitive for a reason: on June 16, 1933, four and a half months after Hitler’s takeover a census was organized. One of the questions concerned religious adherence. This information was then used to know who was a Jew and to send them to concentration camps. The question seemed innocent and harmless and had drastic and cruel consequences. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/75 "2025-02-05T09:13:57Z")
If you’re waiting for “the democrats” (Fucking geriatrics about to keel over on their own) to “do” something about this, Musk has already won. You need to drop what you’re doing and go to the treasury and physically prevent these folks from leaving/enterjng (it is called a “picket” — look it up). They will not be so keen on entering those premises with a couple thousand people filming them while they try to force themselves through a peaceful blockade. Or you can get your social security paid out in DOGE coins (and pay taxes in rubles) ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/76 "2025-02-05T10:18:33Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Of course it is mr false equivalency. Teenage Muskovites have unfettered access, even if it is read-only, to the data. For anyone wondering who those teenage Muskovites are, well, now we know - and Musk ain’t happy about it: > **[X User Reveals Names of Elon Musk's DOGE Employees Who Accessed Treasury...](https://www.latintimes.com/x-user-reveals-names-elon-musks-doge-employees-who-accessed-treasury-payment-system-musk-claims-574485)** > > Elon Musk has accused an X user of committing a crime after they listed names of alleged DOGE employees who helped Musk access the US Treasury payment system. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/77 "2025-02-05T12:39:30Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > > [@msmith537](#): > > > > And is it any different from a private firm like Booz Allen Hamilton or KPMG that works with the government and might handle sensitive personal or financial data ? > > Of course it is mr false equivalency. Teenage Muskovites have unfettered access, even if it is read-only, to the data. KPMG only has access to certain data, and actually has and follows requirements about personally identifiable data (PID). Nor does KPMG take on the “retribution” of Making China Great Again Trump. That’s what I’m asking “Mr. Jackass”. Because people are acting like Mr Musk himself can just write a few lines of SQL and get your tax refunds. Maybe a better way to ask is what controls are /were in place before that would prevent some 20-something analyst from any other corporate vendor from accessing those systems if some other POTUS wanted it to happen? Has it always been the case that someone could just come in and access these systems at the President’s whim and just no one has done it? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/78 "2025-02-05T13:26:57Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Maybe a better way to ask is what controls are /were in place before that would prevent some 20-something analyst from any other corporate vendor from accessing those systems if some other POTUS wanted it to happen? Before a contract to work on government systems is awarded, there would be proposals, requests for quotes, and diligence on the contractor to make sure they have appropriate controls and security in place. The analyst might be 20-something, but would have gone through training on security protocols, handling sensitive data, etc., maybe even a background check. Must just rolled in with some current or former X employees and they just did what they wanted. No diligence on the company, no security protocols, nothing. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/79 "2025-02-05T13:33:06Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Has it always been the case that someone could just come in and access these systems at the President’s whim and just no one has done it? Pretty much. You’d get push back from inside the agency, and eventually someone would go toe to toe with potus put their own job on the line to stop it. Alternatively, courts could step in. Or congress. So a slight amendment: it’s always been the case the a president, with agency lap dogs in place, a complicit congress, and corrupt courts, could hand over system access to any random 20 year old. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/80 "2025-02-05T13:51:10Z")
In 1988 – against years of tradition – Denny’s (the restaurant chain) decided to close its 1,221 locations for Christmas. But since that had never happened in the past, Denny’s had to install locks on the doors of ~700 of those locations – locations that either never had locks or for which the keys _to_ those locks could not be located: > **[No Locks at Denny's](https://uselessinformation.org/no-locks-at-dennys/)** > > In December of 1988, the restaurant chain Denny’s decided to close all of its 1,221 stores for the Christmas holiday. That's when they found out that many of their restaurants lacked door locks. It seems pretty self-evident that every level of US government should be thoroughly fortified against potential _internal_ threats and madmen in charge, but it doesn’t strain credulity to imagine it was never a high priority before now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755.md?page=5)