This letter to the editor, by Cheri Evjen, appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on February 20, 2025.

Where are all the ‘tough guys’ now? The House of Representatives and Senate are full of Republicans who like to pose as “tough guys.” They zealously guarded congressional authority during the Biden administration, preferring to hold politically driven investigations and screaming about “transparency” and “unelected bureaucrats.”

On Jan. 20 those concerns magically disappeared when Donald Trump empowered Elon Musk and his merry boys to “maximize government efficiency and productivity.”

Elon’s Musketeers have been running amok ever since. They have shut down USAID, gained access to Treasury Department payment systems. They’ve taken over the Office of Personnel Management and the General Services Administration and their computer systems and harvested and stored sensitive data on anyone who pays taxes.

What have the “tough guy” Republican legislators done about it? Nothing. Faced with a constitutional crisis and the seizure of congressional power they stick their heads in the sand like ostriches, roll into a ball like armadillos and hedgehogs, or retreat to their shells like turtles.

Prior to January 20th America had safeguards in place. Agency heads, senior civil servants, inspectors general and the DOJ would at least have questioned Musk’s actions. By removing agency heads, senior civil servants and firing 17 inspector generals, Trump has cleared the field for Musk to do as much damage as he wants.

Remember, Trump’s executive order empowered Musk to “maximize government efficiency and productivity'“. How do any of his actions improve either? Musk, who neatly stepped around the Constitutional requirement that only natural-born citizens can serve as President, is calling the shots.

Every legislator, if they have any interest in preserving the balance of power established by the Constitution, should immediately demand an end to the power grab being led by Elon Musk.

Everyday Americans who respect the Constitution and embrace the idea of three co-equal branches need to make their voices heard as well. Contacting legislators is important, but so is reminding friends and family members that Musk, with Trump’s support, is leading an attack on bedrock Constitutional principles that have guided our nation for nearly 250 years.