Multiple House Democrats took shots at DOGE co-chair Elon Musk on Thursday for the role he played in helping tank a massive end-of-the-year “bipartisan” spending bill.
Congressional leaders, including GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson, had struck a deal to fund the government until March 14 through what’s called a continuing resolution, but several add-ons were included, making it roughly a 1,500-page bill.
Those add-ons included $100 billion in disaster relief, $30 billion for farmers, funding to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, a new NFL stadium in Washington, D.C., a hefty pay raise for lawmakers, and expanded health care benefits for federal workers.
Without action, the federal government faces a shutdown Friday at midnight.
Several conservative Republicans initially came out in opposition to the CR, followed by Musk, his Department of Government Efficiency co-chair Vivek Ramaswamy, and finally President-elect Donald Trump.
“Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” Musk posted Wednesday on social media platform X.
Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024
The billionaire’s opposition helped blow up the deal by Thursday.
Are you glad Elon Musk has gotten involved in politics?
Yes: 100% (1 Votes)
No: 0% (0 Votes)
Texas Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett wrote on X, “Which branch of Government does Elon belong to? Asking for a friend….”
Which branch of Government does Elon belong to? Asking for a friend….
— Jasmine Crockett (@JasmineForUS) December 19, 2024
Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington state argued, “Mike Johnson negotiated a deal with Leader [Hakeem] Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, and Joe Biden — and now is reneging because the shadow president, Elon Musk, told him to. This is on them. The Republicans must figure this out.”
Mike Johnson negotiated a deal with Leader Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, and Joe Biden — and now is reneging because the shadow president, Elon Musk, told him to.
This is on them. The Republicans must figure this out.
— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) December 19, 2024
Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin posted a meme to mock and goad Trump, showing him holding the Bible as Musk is sworn in as president.
Of course, Musk, who immigrated to the U.S. from South Africa in the 1990s, is not eligible to be president. A person must be a born citizen of the U.S. to assume the highest office in the land.
We just returned from the future and got this photo from the inauguration. pic.twitter.com/f7aSHzfnFp
— Rep. Mark Pocan (@RepMarkPocan) December 18, 2024
Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida contended, “If this is the type of power he has, then he is going to be the unelected co-president of this country, and we’ve got to be super blunt about it,” Axios reported.
Musk celebrated the DOGE win on Thursday, posting a before and after picture of the continuing resolution legislation that the House now plans to take up. The new version is 116 pages, rather than 1,500.
This shows how much your voice matters!
And having a President like @realDonaldTrump means that your voice is finally heard. https://t.co/0a7QDJx9zt
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 19, 2024
Politico reported that the new so-called “clean CR” is expected to include a three-month extension of funding the federal government into March, which would avert a shut-down as the Friday midnight deadline approaches.
It will also have a two-year suspension of the debt limit until January 2027, which will prevent Democrats from using it as leverage to push for yet more spending every time the debt ceiling is reached.
The new CR contains a $110 billion disaster relief package to help those ravaged by hurricanes in North Carolina and other states.
It will also include a farm bill extension, which had been priced at $30 billion.
So no pay raise for Congress and many other add-ons that Democrats wanted.
Trump has thrown his support behind the new bill.
“All Republicans, and even the Democrats, should do what is best for our Country, and vote ‘YES’ for this Bill, TONIGHT!,” he posted on Truth Social.
🚨NEW FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP pic.twitter.com/QYr19LXCab
— Karoline Leavitt (@karolineleavitt) December 19, 2024
It’s an auspicious start for the DOGE, if this CR is the one that ultimately goes through.
All-in-all, not bad at all.
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