The Treasury Inspector General will investigate access to payments in DOGE.
The research could extend until August.
Two government oversight entities have announced an investigation into the Department of Government Efficiency's access to the Treasury's sensitive payment systems. Through letters addressed to Congress, it was reported that the Treasury's Office of Inspector General, led by Loren Sciurba, initiated an audit on February 6 regarding the Bureau of Fiscal Service's payment systems. This investigation will focus on determining whether adequate controls existed for access to these systems and to ensure that only legally valid payments are made.
The system in question is one that an employee of DOGE was able to access, with the ability to read and write code, although officials from the Trump administration denied that he could alter it. The Treasury's payment systems handle more than $5 trillion intended for services such as Social Security benefits and veteran payments. Sciurba indicated that the Office of Inspector General is aware of the dangers that improper access or inadequate controls can pose to the integrity of sensitive payment systems.
The audit is expected to be completed in August, but interim updates were promised in case critical issues are discovered before that date. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has also confirmed its intention to investigate and collaborate with the Office of Inspector General on this matter.
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden were the ones who shared the letters, in response to their requests for independent investigations into DOGE's access to the Treasury's systems. The lawmakers asked investigators to determine what information was accessed by DOGE staff, whether they had the appropriate authorizations, and whether measures were put in place to prevent conflicts of interest or personal benefits for Elon Musk's businesses, CEO of DOGE.
Warren expressed that the Treasury Department's initial response to her inquiry about access to the payment system raised "more questions than answers," which led her and her colleagues to turn to independent oversight bodies. During the beginning of his term, former President Donald Trump dismissed more than a dozen inspectors general from various agencies, despite federal law requiring a 30-day notice to Congress before dismissing these Senate-confirmed investigators. The Treasury Inspector General was one of those affected, but since Sciurba is a career official, he could not be completely removed. Although the president has the authority to appoint and remove inspectors general, they can audit the agency and report to Congress without restrictions.
