Maxine Waters Questions HUD Inspector General on DOGE's Access and Authority

HUD's DOGE Access and Operations

• ❓ Representative Maxine Waters questioned Stephen Begg, Acting Inspector General of HUD, about how the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) gained access to HUD.
• 🤝 Begg stated that DOGE lead and team members met with many, possibly all, program offices within HUD.
• 🔑 Access to HUD systems was reportedly granted because DOGE personnel were assigned as HUD employees.
• ⚠️ Waters pressed for details on who granted this access and if HUD personnel authorized it, to which Begg could not provide specific names or dates.

Delegated Authority and Withheld Funds

• 🏛️ Court documents suggest DOGE was delegated authority by HUD personnel to illegally withhold and claw back housing funds appropriated by Congress.
• ❓ Begg found this delegation of authority consistent with his previous statements but could not confirm if it was done.
• 📜 The process for such authorizations would typically flow down from the Secretary to senior HUD officials.

Inspector General's Investigation Status

• 🔍 Begg confirmed that his office has not investigated which DOGE staffers were granted authority, who granted it, or if these grants adhere to federal law.
• 📈 The Inspector General's office is monitoring the situation, which is currently in litigation, and communicates regularly with HUD leadership.
• 🗣️ Their current focus is on communicating with HUD leadership about the need to maintain departmental capacity.

Elon Musk's Involvement

• 👤 Maxine Waters asked if Elon Musk spoke with Begg or visited HUD; Begg stated he had not spoken to Mr. Musk and had not seen him in the building.
• ❓ Begg could not identify who Elon Musk delegated to talk to HUD, only mentioning a HUD DOGE team lead.