(Source: MIRS.news, Published 02/10/2025) A coalition of grassroots members visited Congressional offices across the state to demand action against billionaire Elon Musk's role in the Trump administration as the head of a temporary agency charged with sniffing out alleged government waste and fraud. 

Nick Pigeon, a Lansing City Council candidate, attended the protest at Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte)'s office. He said residents of the district have sent thousands of calls and messages to Barrett's office and have yet to receive a response.  

"I'm satisfied that I at least got to hear a human voice," Pigeon said.  

He described Musk's access to the Treasury system and other federal departments as "having a skeleton key," and that he "has the worst conflicts of interest you could possibly imagine."   

President Trump appointed Musk, the Tesla CEO, to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a department created by Trump to cut federal spending.  Since Musk took on the role, DOGE has attempted to cut spending for multiple federal departments and has prompted a federal judge to block him from accessing sensitive information from the Department of Treasury.   

Michigan Director of Clean Water Action Sean McBreaty, one of the event's organizers, said he didn't feel like the group got a response out of Barrett's office.  

"I feel like we got a lot of what we've been getting on the phones, which is no position," McBreaty said. "At such a crucial time like this, we deserve an answer from our member of Congress as to where he stands and whether or not he supports the ongoing work of the Trump administration to illegally dismantle the federal government." 

As for the Detroit Congressional offices, Christy McGillivray of the Sierra Club said no one was around to hear the group's concerns at U.S. Rep.  John James (R-Shelby Township)'s office and U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) "expressed her appreciation and called for even more mass mobilizations because of the scale of the threat."  

Ryan Bates of End Gun Violence Michigan visited U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn)'s office, where he said Dingell was "willing to work" with them to ensure the recent federal spending cuts do not become permanent.   

McGillivray said the group wants to see every elected official take a stronger position and "it’s not enough to file a lawsuit and say what they’re doing is illegal."   

"This is a coup," she said. "An unelected billionaire is taking over the digital infrastructure of the United States in direct violation of our Constitution."   

Pontiac City Council member Mikal Goodman attended the rally at U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) office. He said they were told Stevens has introduced the Taxpayer Data Protection Act, a bill preventing unauthorized individuals such as Musk from accessing the U.S. Department of Treasury's payment system.  

Goodman said he is concerned with the overall lack of response from Democrats.  

"Bills don't mean anything when our very institutions are being broken and shattered, and (Democrats) are also in the minority where nothing will get passed," Goodman said.   

Bates said the Coalition is going to continue to work to address the issue in a summit this Saturday.