Introduction to DOGE

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been making headlines for its efforts to cut government spending and streamline federal agencies. However, a recent investigation has revealed that some DOGE staffers are drawing six-figure government salaries, raising questions about the department's priorities and transparency.

According to reports, engineers and executives at DOGE are earning up to $195,200 annually, with some employees making more than the average General Services Administration (GSA) employee. Jeremy Lewin, a DOGE employee tasked with dismantling USAID, is listed as making just over $167,000 annually, while Kyle Schutt, a software engineer at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, is drawing a salary of $195,200 through GSA.

Salary Disparities and Lack of Transparency

The salary disparities have sparked concerns about the department's commitment to reducing government spending. Don Moynihan, a public policy professor at the University of Michigan, noted that it is worth understanding what these employees are being paid, especially if they are being paid significantly more than technologists who have been fired. The lack of transparency surrounding DOGE's spending and salary ranges has also raised eyebrows, with the White House failing to respond to questions about the salary ranges for DOGE employees or how the budget is allocated to pay them.

Furthermore, some DOGE team members, including Musk, are designated as 'Special Government Employees,' an advisory role limited to a 130-day work period. These positions can be paid or unpaid, and SGEs drawing salaries above a certain grade have to file financial disclosure forms, but volunteer workers do not. This type of employee is not beholden to the same rules as typical federal workers, and they are allowed to keep drawing outside salaries and in some cases do not need to disclose conflicts of interest.