Summary

Acting Social Security Commissioner Leland Dudek threatened to shut down the agency after a court barred Elon Musk’s DOGE team from accessing sensitive databases.

Dudek said he would cut off IT access for all employees, raising fears of halted benefits for 70 million Americans.

The court later clarified that not all SSA employees were DOGE affiliates, leading Dudek to backtrack.

Critics, including advocacy groups, accuse Dudek of undermining the agency and pursuing Musk and Trump’s anti-fraud agenda, which falsely alleges widespread improper payments.

  • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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    24 days ago

    This is all playing into their hands. Hundreds of thousands of seniors with mental issues, anxiety, Alzheimer’s, etc. are calling Social Security everyday freaked out about their benefits. This has already overwhelmed their meager resources.

    The administration has already changed the rules so everyone now has to go to a local Social Security Office to verify their identity because of fraud and at the same time shutting as many offices as they can get away with

    Also let’s threaten to fire and layoff the remaining staff. This is deliberate sabotage against tens of millions of our most vulnerable Americans. After the shit hits the fan they will call for an end of Social Security pointing out the shit show they have created.

  • Makeitstop@lemmy.world
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    24 days ago

    “Let’s say Social Security didn’t send out their checks this month. My mother-in-law, who’s 94, she wouldn’t call and complain. She just wouldn’t. She’d think something got messed up and she’ll get it next month,” Lutnick said on the “All-In” podcast. “A fraudster always makes the loudest noise, screaming, yelling and complaining.”)

    Yes, of course. Fraudsters are the ones who will want to bring attention to themselves when the checks stop coming, and not poor people who rely on that money to survive.

    I know these people are stupid, crazy and sadistic, but it’s like they have some kind of competition going to see who can be the stupidest and most repugnant.

  • Jesus@lemmy.world
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    24 days ago

    The shit will hit the fan if social security gets cut. This will push the public over the edge.