WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has spoken out against the alarming, unprecedented efforts of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk to shut down federal agencies and cut critical programs under the guise of “government efficiency.” While Senator Gallego is all for efficiency, he recognizes that what Elon Musk is doing is cutting essential programs, no matter who it hurts, to fund a tax break for billionaires like himself. Senator Gallego remains committed to defending working families and fighting back against DOGE’s attacks on the programs they rely on.
He sent a letter calling for an investigation into the Department of the Treasury following reports that Secretary Scott Bessent granted Elon Musk and his surrogates unprecedented and potentially unlawful access to the federal government’s payment systems — putting at risk Arizonans’ Medicare and social security payments.
Senator Gallego also urged Republican Congressional leadership to safeguard Medicaid given reports of potential cuts. Around 20 percent of Arizonans rely on Medicaid for healthcare, and any reckless reductions would devastate families across the state.
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Tucson Sentinel: Kelly, Gallego & Grijalva blast Musk’s DOGE effort; Ciscomani silent
[Jim Nitzel, 2/12/25]
Arizona’s Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego and Tucson’s U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva are blasting the efforts of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk to shut down various federal agencies and terminate employees. […]
Gallego told Tucson Sentinel that he’d “continue to use every tool we have to push back against Musk’s unlawful actions.”
“Unelected billionaires cutting funding to families is not what Arizonans want,” Gallego told Sentinel via email. “It is my top priority to protect Social Security payments, Medicare payments, and tax refunds from any possible tampering by DOGE or other unauthorized entities.”