January 21, 2026 08:36 AM UTC

DOGE Makes a Liar of Gabe Evans

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• by: Colorado Pols

As Politico’s Kyle Cheney reports, individuals associated with the now-disbanded “Department of Government Efficiency,” a White House office set up under the world’s richest man Elon Musk to ferret out as it turned out far less “waste and abuse” than they told voters to expect, allegedly were as many feared making improper use of the confidential data they were given sweeping access to:

Two members of Elon Musk’s DOGE team working at the Social Security Administration were secretly in touch with an advocacy group seeking to “overturn election results in certain states,” and one signed an agreement that may have involved using Social Security data to match state voter rolls, the Justice Department revealed in newly disclosed court papers.

Elizabeth Shapiro, a top Justice Department official, said SSA referred both DOGE employees for potential violations of the Hatch Act, which bars government employees from using their official positions for political purposes.

Shapiro’s previously unreported disclosure, dated Friday, came as part of a list of “corrections” to testimony by top SSA officials during last year’s legal battles over DOGE’s access to Social Security data. They revealed that DOGE team members shared data on unapproved “third-party” servers and may have accessed private information that had been ruled off-limits by a court at the time…

News that DOGE employees have been referred to the Justice Department for Hatch Act violations that involve possible misuse of the confidential data they had access to is a huge problem for Republicans who have been forced to defend this para-governmental initiative making sweeping changes and overseeing mass layoffs of federal workers, while assuring constituents that their personal information was safe. This includes freshman GOP Rep. Gabe Evans, who responded to numerous inquiries from CO-08 residents with form letter assurances about DOGE’s mission and methods:

As has been repeatedly certified by the Executive Branch, these examinations are conducted in a professional manner that will abide by the same standards as any other government agency. For the employees of DOGE to perform their functions, they have been designated as “special government employees.” This role demands the same ethical standards of privacy, confidentiality, conflicts of interest assessment, and professionalism of other government employees. Each are also subject to the same security obligations and ethical requirements, including a Top-Secret security clearance.

There has been much misinformation over the supposed “leak” or “breach” of private information. I want it to be perfectly clear: The Executive Branch has been adamant that all measures to protect citizens’ private information is being strictly adhered to, and no legitimate breach of private information has occurred. As your federal representative, I will take any leak of your private information seriously and demand accountability should one arise. [Pols emphasis]

Gentle readers, that day has arrived. Will Gabe Evans keep his word to constituents, and “demand accountability” from the Trump administration he has steadfastly refused to criticize?

We’ll be watching, but not holding our breath.