“If Mr. Musk has taken actions in his federal function that can profit his monetary pursuits with out receiving applicable waivers and approvals, he might have violated the felony battle of curiosity statute,” the senators alleged. That ethics regulation, they stated, “prohibits particular authorities workers from collaborating “personally and considerably” in any specific matter that will have a “direct and predictable impact” on his or her monetary curiosity, they stated.
To this point, the senators stated, the Trump administration has solely given imprecise assurances of Musk’s and DOGE’s compliance with ethics legal guidelines. It additionally stays unclear how a lot of DOGE stays beneath Musk’s management, they alleged.
Their makes an attempt to request this data from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Performing CFPB Director Russ Vought have been ignored, and now they’re calling on the OGE to fill its “important function” as an “unbiased arbiter and enforcer of the federal felony battle of curiosity statute and different ethics guidelines,” they stated.
They’ve requested Collins for a “sturdy response” by March 12 to questions probing Musk’s compliance with ethics legal guidelines, his involvement at DOGE, and DOGE’s total regulatory compliance. For transparency, the senators additionally need all communications between OGE, the White Home, the Government Workplace of the President, and Musk, in addition to particulars on any contact the CFPB and the Treasury Division have had with OGE about Musk’s and DOGE’s compliance.
Whether or not Collins will reply robustly appears up within the air. The senators expressed issues that the OGE’s independence could also be compromised since Collins is an obvious Trump ally.
“The President’s resolution to position a political ally on the head of OGE raises vital issues about OGE’s independence and undermines belief within the OGE as an neutral, apolitical ethics arbiter,” the senators wrote.
Trump accused the CFPB of “destroying folks”
“CFPB RIP,” Musk posted on X after DOGE secured a stop-work order on the CFPB, the senators famous of their letter, urging the OGE to acknowledge Musk’s social media posts as proof of alleged conflicts of curiosity.