Four bylines on this 19-graf story, and no analysis of whether Musk’s moves are legal, or stoppable by the judiciary. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/u... - ThreadSky

bgrueskin.bsky.social • 21 days ago

Four bylines on this 19-graf story, and no analysis of whether Musk’s moves are legal, or stoppable by the judiciary.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/us/politics/elon-musk-doge-federal-payments-system.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Comments

blissb33.bsky.social•21 days ago

They are most definately not legal and being that the judiciary is also republucan controlled rn they aren't going to do a thing about it. There are no more checks and balances.

bgrueskin.bsky.social•21 days ago

This is kind of the key question, yes? How much of this is legal, who would have to sue, and what would our judiciary do about it?

https://bsky.app/profile/bradmossesq.bsky.social/post/3lh7ah6mvyc27

bgrueskin.bsky.social•21 days ago

Good point via @jackpondit.bsky.social in the comments. The story also omits these words from Sen. Wyden's letter, which point to one of the key areas of potential illegality.

https://www.finance.senate.gov/chairmans-news/wyden-demands-answers-following-report-of-musk-personnel-seeking-access-to-highly-sensitive-us-treasury-payments-system

ruegalande.bsky.social•21 days ago

Same! No clarity, no mention of il/legality, no useful information. We are all left asking the crucial questions so these "journalists" can have unfettered access to the circus.

jackpondit.bsky.social•21 days ago

It is even worse than that. The story quotes two sentences from Sen. Wyden’s letter but omits the sentence in between where he says they may be doing illegal activities.

profsjw.bsky.social•21 days ago

However explain it--the owner of the Times likes where we're going as a country? universities/univ journalism programs are failing?--the NYT is just incapable now of reporting the news in a way that reflects reality, let alone meets the needs of the moment.

mgrueskin.bsky.social•21 days ago

Googling IS challenging.

5 U.S.C. 552a(b)

No agency shall disclose any record which is contained in a system of records by any means of communication to any person, or to another agency…

mgrueskin.bsky.social•21 days ago

… pursuant to a written request by, or with the prior written consent of, the individual to whom the record pertains

[subject to 13 exceptions, none of which has been mentioned by any official as justifying this disclosure to non-government actors)

mgrueskin.bsky.social•21 days ago

Correction:

…EXCEPT pursuant to a written request by, or with the prior written consent of, the individual to whom the record pertains, unless disclosure of the record would be—

kimmcauliffe.bsky.social•21 days ago

@nytimes.com IT’S NOT LEGAL!

shcohen.bsky.social•21 days ago

I haven't seen anyone say it simply - letting your credit card company decide whether it agrees with your purchases it likes and refusing to pay any others

rachelmorris.bsky.social•21 days ago

Similar with this one on USAID. No discussion of legality until near the end, where it's framed as, "lawmakers argue this would be illegal." This is something you can find out! https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/us/us-aid-agency-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.t04.7lyH.ceuGhIL_V8k3&smid=url-share

chickpea7.bsky.social•21 days ago

This is why EW or whoever showing up with cameras at the Treasury Department will not work. It would be 44 paragraphs of Trump's bold moves and imaginary presidential history/both sides before we got to a weak little 'Dems have questions.'

They are committed to the bit.