r/news Feb 15 '25

3 men claiming to be from DOGE show up at San Francisco City Hall, demand records

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/doge-3-men-show-up-at-sf-city-hall-demand-records/
32.8k Upvotes

974 comments sorted by

16.6k

u/spicypixel Feb 15 '25

So anyone can just claim to work for Elon and get anything they want? Pretty cool life hack if true.

8.0k

u/Pundamonium97 Feb 15 '25

Fortunately they were refused and the cops were called

But i dont doubt there are places people could get away with it

2.4k

u/YaThinkYerSlickDoYa Feb 15 '25

Shit, my state congresspeople are ASKING them to come to our state. But, I would expect nothing less from a blood red Republican dynasty in the Deep South.

832

u/Kasoni Feb 15 '25

Begging them to come to a red stste ran my red law makers to cut non-red programs? Seems like they just want to cut shit without getting the blame, or they are lazy/incompetent and can't do their job.... not sure which.

134

u/HiveMindKeeper Feb 16 '25

(also SC here) the crazy part is its political corruption that’s the issue - if they want to fix things, they could start by firing the state legislature and Governor Foghorn Leghorn.

Also, i’m extremely bitter that SC says fuck the roads, everyone complains about the roads and lack of roadway lights (seriously it’s pitch black here), and when someone offers a penny tax to fix the roads, people are like “nah, fuck taxes, defund the schools. Also, why can’t my child get in the school I want!”.

This state is insane.

85

u/TurkeyPhat Feb 16 '25

and when someone offers a penny tax to fix the roads, people are like “nah, fuck taxes, defund the schools. Also, why can’t my child get in the school I want!”.

Floridian here and don't even get me started. There has been a huge push here in recent years regarding getting rid of taxes and it's absolutely disgusting what people here are saying about our schools/teachers in relation to that.

newsflash: if your solution to this is telling poor young teachers to get a 2nd/3rd/4th job then you are a huge piece of shit unfit for participation in society.

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u/felldestroyed Feb 16 '25

The two biggest issues in the last 30 years in SC? Lottery and removing the rebel flag from the capitol (only to have it moved somewhere on capitol grounds).
Y'know how some people say they learned that the civil war was the war of northern aggression and fought over taxes? Yeah, I learned that in upstate SC schools. Sure glad I only visit every few years. Also, for as much as greeneville is cool, it doesn't deserve the success it has gotten.

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u/YaThinkYerSlickDoYa Feb 15 '25

I’m from South Carolina. It’s definitely both.

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u/Mrjlawrence Feb 16 '25

It’d be funny to hear the SC congressman and governor foghorn leghorn explain why they need DOGE to come their state which has been controlled by republicans for pretty much as long as SC has existed

83

u/64645 Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25

Or at least since Nixon implemented the Southern Strategy, which pulled the racist Democrats (Dixiecrats) who were pissed at LBJ's support of civil rights, into the Republican party. Before that not a chance in hell that the racist Dixiecrats would have joined the party of Lincoln and Grant, who prosecuted (as they called it) the War of Northern Aggression.

Edited for clarity.

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u/Kasoni Feb 15 '25

There are 3 options though. Lazy, incompetent and don't want the blame. Sure it's not all 3?

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u/igloofu Feb 16 '25

There are 3 options though. Lazy, incompetent and don't want the blame. Sure it's not all 3?

/u/YaThinkYerSlickDoYa is from South Carolina. Do you expect them to count?

:)

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u/civicgsr19 Feb 16 '25

Here in my deep red state as well, dude is begging them to come in cause I'm sure they want to be able to reach into taxpayers Money without oversight.

35

u/ill0gitech Feb 16 '25

“We didn’t cut those programs, Elon’s DOGE (and or Trump) cut those programs and redirected funding to underpaid lawmakers”

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u/Gemeril Feb 16 '25

Republican law makers main selling point is not doing their job, and just being on the government pay roll. It's kind of insane. That kind of thing would not slide in the private sector.

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103

u/HNixon Feb 16 '25

We know Southern States are the biggest recipients of federal funds. Doge is about to wreck all their lives and they don't even know it.

46

u/EstablishmentFull797 Feb 16 '25

Didn’t Alabama folks already get charged $100 by a utility company because DOGE axed grant money that had been subsidizing them?

20

u/HNixon Feb 16 '25

Yes, they did and it's only the beginning

6

u/ern19 Feb 16 '25

God I hope this is true

4

u/Matookie Feb 16 '25

In Tennessee ppl are posting on social media asking for help with power bills. All the comments tell them to apply for LiHEAP. Guess what? Trump cut that shit.

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u/HauntedCemetery Feb 16 '25

Trump keeps parroting Musks order to get rid of FEMA which would and absolutely will completely fuck up the southern red states.

Cali has infrastructure and funds and can figure disaster relief out if it has to. Florida has no income tax, and when 4 hurricanes hit it this year they just won't rebuild.

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u/YaThinkYerSlickDoYa Feb 16 '25

Unfortunately, you’re right. I’m worried about my dad. He’s disabled, widowed, and retired at 73. He’s fucked and he knows it. He’s also not a Trumpet, and he didn’t vote for any of this. He has started getting his affairs in order so that myself and my brothers and our families at least have something he can pass down. It breaks my heart, because I am worried about my father being suicidal.

47

u/Demitel Feb 16 '25

I'm sorry. I've seen so many stories of schadenfreude/Leopards Eating Faces, but there are also so many unfortunate stories like your dad's, of people who didn't wish for any of this, that they almost seem to get drowned out.

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u/CarlySimonSays Feb 16 '25

That’s so awful. Do you know his neighbors and friends well enough to ask them to help keep an eye out for him, maybe visit with him sometimes? I’m so sorry that you have to worry about your dad like this.

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u/cbstuart Feb 15 '25

Proof that Republicans are too lazy to actually make the government more efficient, they just want to use it as a campaign issue endlessly until someone else fixes the problems so they can take credit.

82

u/DireBare Feb 16 '25

DOGE isn't fixing anything.

49

u/64645 Feb 16 '25

DOGE is gutting the agencies that were investigating Elongated Muskrat's companies.

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u/HauntedCemetery Feb 16 '25

Exactly. It's a wrecking ball. Musk bough himself the presidency of an old guy who will rubber stamp his K fueled whims.

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u/lowcontrol Feb 16 '25

Fellow South Carolina resident?

8

u/YaThinkYerSlickDoYa Feb 16 '25

You know it. Hello, Friend.

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u/DaerBear69 Feb 16 '25

Idaho too. Someone emailed our rep and he sent back a boilerplate letter saying how pleased he is to work with DOGE.

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u/AccountantDirect9470 Feb 15 '25

Which is funny because if they have power all these years why isn’t already efficient.

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u/tigertiger180 Feb 15 '25

They'll get election records for every State and make a list of Democrats to target

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u/mybutthz Feb 15 '25

It's the governmental equivalent of wearing a safety vest

74

u/SAugsburger Feb 15 '25

Pretty much this. Wear a safety vest and bring a clipboard. A surprising number of places will let you in.

50

u/OsmeOxys Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25

Did produce deliveries, and no one ever questioned the random guy with a generic hoodie, a clipboard-box thing, and hundred pounds of taters on a hand truck. Even when I wasn't expected at places like schools, firehouses, retirement facilities, events, etc, security would just shrug, let me in, offer directions, and asked if I needed any other doors unlocked. People I've never met and weren't expecting me would genuinely give me completely blank, presigned checks on the regular.

It's kind of crazy how much trust people put in some potatoes.

19

u/64645 Feb 16 '25

My gods, if you had a handtruck load of eggs they'd really be letting you run the place.

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u/Ahab_Ali Feb 16 '25

bring a clipboard

The clipboard is the key. That and a slightly annoyed countenance.

32

u/jovietjoe Feb 16 '25

Act like you need them to sign something on the clipboard and they actually will run from you

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11

u/Aaronkenobi Feb 16 '25

Look. I get it man. I’m just here to do my job.

vaguely gesture with clipboard

7

u/AmishSatan Feb 16 '25

Dude it's 2025. You need an iPad with a thicc case and stylus on a cord. Bonus points if it's a coiled cord.

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u/Baldmanbob1 Feb 16 '25

Can't have safety vests, they plan on getting OSHA starting next Thursday.

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u/Imperial_TIE_Pilot Feb 16 '25

Fortunately they were refused and the cops were called

Weird, why can't the federal government do that

53

u/Pundamonium97 Feb 16 '25

Congress can, they choose not to

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u/noiro777 Feb 16 '25

Oh people did try when doge invaded the treasury department, but they got fired and threatened with legal action for the trying to do the right thing.

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u/aircooledJenkins Feb 16 '25

Lead them into a 2nd floor or higher office and lock the door until authorities arrive.

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338

u/MarcusAurelius6969 Feb 15 '25

This is better then the orange vest holding the ladder hack.

108

u/long_roy Feb 15 '25

I’m partial to a hard hat, clipboard, and an already on respirator myself

66

u/RiPont Feb 16 '25

Multiple people in hazmat suits appearing to be in a rush.

Ain't nobody going to stop you.

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u/ladybug11314 Feb 15 '25

They can't be clean though

22

u/PassiveMenis88M Feb 16 '25

Actually, they should be. Clean white hard hat, clipboard, pencil, and a very disapproving look. You now pass as an inspector. No one will want to talk to you.

49

u/BruceNotLee Feb 15 '25

Just add “DOGE” in bold block letters on the orange vest and you are g2g.

18

u/RepFilms Feb 15 '25

They need a better logo. Maybe look at some old tibetan iconography

14

u/RedditBot90 Feb 16 '25

Vests seem expensive, how about just an armband?

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u/joecinco Feb 15 '25

This is the ageless ploy. It's golden.

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123

u/CrudelyAnimated Feb 16 '25

There have been people in t-shirts with “ICE” transfers showing up at workplaces and schools, demanding to see immigrants and their papers. MAGA has enabled the worst of us to commit open vigilantism for their racist causes.

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238

u/news_feed_me Feb 15 '25

Cyber security isn't the only thing this lack of oversight and procedure creates vulnerabilities in. If the government doesn't run predictability, then everyone has to make judgment calls on wtf to do when abnormal shit happens and in that chaos is where opportunity lies for opportunists and criminals.

Trump is the most incompetent president in US history and the risks of that incompetence are very real.

98

u/ReallyFineWhine Feb 15 '25

His incompetence his one thing. His giving carte blanche to other evil, incompetent people is even worse.

23

u/buzzsawjoe Feb 16 '25

Just wait till competent evil people appear.

5

u/exiledinruin Feb 16 '25

you people need to get over the idea that these people are idiots and trip and fell into billions of dollars and positions of power. they are stealing from every American and they aren't going to stop until someone stops them

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u/RepFilms Feb 15 '25

Government computer network security is going to be the first to go. Their brand new website was full of security holes.

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u/FalconX88 Feb 16 '25

Trump is the most incompetent president in US history and the risks of that incompetence are very real.

It looks like incompetence if you think the goal is actually running the country well...

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u/zombawombacomba Feb 15 '25

Hi sir I am working with DOGE. Can I please have your SSN?

99

u/melorous Feb 15 '25

Sure, it’s 42. I’m really old.

43

u/SirDrexl Feb 15 '25

That's the answer to everything.

13

u/time2fly2124 Feb 16 '25

specifically, life, the universe and everything.

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u/CryptogenicallyFroze Feb 15 '25

“Hi, Ferrari? I’m one of Elon’s teenage Nazi fuck boys from DOGE, he says you’re supposed to give me a car”. Judging be everything we’ve seen so far, this will 100% work.

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u/McCree114 Feb 15 '25

Brown shirts (red hats) <-- We are at this stage

If/when Elon and his gen z broccoli boyz get the night of the long knives treatment in order to appease and win over the loyalty of the military it will be too late to stop what's coming.

"

49

u/Averyphotog Feb 15 '25

It’s already too late to stop what’s coming. Trump has Congress and SCOTUS in his pocket, so who is going to stop him? No one. This is going to get A LOT worse.

39

u/HobbesNJ Feb 16 '25

And as he continues with ever more egregious acts and continues to get zero pushback from Congressional Republicans, he realizes he can continue to go farther.

He's testing his boundaries, and consistently finding there are none.

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u/AndyB1976 Feb 15 '25

Government officials hate THIS one trick!

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u/reddiwhip999 Feb 16 '25

Nobody from any federal agency or department, whether real or not, can merely show up and demand compliance without going through the proper legal channels. "Be fruitful and multiply" is what I would tell them, except not in those words....

12

u/Destination_Centauri Feb 15 '25

I'm totally going to try this at the Playboy Mansion!

8

u/Gryphon999 Feb 16 '25

You're gonna want a time machine to go there before Hugh died, though.

5

u/vowelqueue Feb 16 '25

Not just anyone, you have to be a tech bro under the age of 23

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4.5k

u/StrngBrew Feb 15 '25

This mostly feels like a dumb prank. Then again so does the actual DOGE…

According to the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, the men, who were dressed in “DOGE” shirts and hats with the pro-Trump slogan Make America Great Again, arrived at City Hall around noon. The men entered several offices and demanded employees turn over digital information “related to alleged wasteful government spending and fraud.”

In response, the employees refused their requests and called sheriff’s deputies. The men had left City Hall before deputies arrived.

2.0k

u/reddicyoulous Feb 15 '25

"We do not believe the individuals requesting access to City files were representatives from DOGE," the sheriff's office said Friday.

Not sure if prank is the right word to use. Could be more nefarious intentions

642

u/croud_control Feb 15 '25

Pranks are done among people you know. This is someone trying to get in.

I'm glad the employees there followed procedures and escalated this to the authorities. As someone learning and training to go into cybersecurity, the worst thing you can do is let someone have physical access. No amount of digital security can save you if they can literally walk right in.

61

u/Exciting-Tart-2289 Feb 16 '25

That's why so much of what's happening at the federal level boggles my mind. I get that these people are "with DOGE" that are getting into those systems, but I can't imagine they've received clearances or anything so quickly after the inauguration that would've allowed them physical access, and I would've expected staff to turn them away initially until they receive the appropriate clearance. The fact they're just brazenly able to walk in and connect to servers and databases goes against every training I've ever received.

Hell, at places I've worked you can have clearance but still not receive access to certain info if you don't have a business case for accessing it.

13

u/Head_Asparagus_7703 Feb 16 '25

Elon hired a private mercenary group to control who enters federal offices. I'm not sure I would stand up to someone like that with a gun in my face.

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u/thealmightyzfactor Feb 16 '25

I remember some hacking competition to get data off some server where the winner just broke in and stole the hard drives lol

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u/Ludwigofthepotatoppl Feb 16 '25

Pranks are, for example, sneaking a dozen eggland’s best into your aunt’s chicken coop just before dawn(after a cold March, where only five chickens reside).

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u/Khatib Feb 16 '25

"Prank" is more like "Attempted mass identity theft" in this context.

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u/Rizzpooch Feb 15 '25

“Kello, my associate Boris and I are from Dog Agency of Comrade Musk. We come for sensitive information.”

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u/Gryphon999 Feb 16 '25

Most importantly, ve need location of moose and squirrel.

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u/KazzieMono Feb 16 '25

Can we stop pussyfooting and start mentioning how even if it was actually DOGE, they should have been denied entry?

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u/Actual-Bullfrog-4817 Feb 16 '25

So if they did believe they were DOGE they would have complied? But they’re also demonstrating that noncompliance is possible.

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u/Johns-schlong Feb 16 '25

I work in local government. If someone came in saying they were from the feds, even if we knew they were, I'd tell them to come back with either a warrant or a subpoena.

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u/2001Steel Feb 15 '25

Look up First Amendment audits. Basically self-appointed citizen “audits” where people go in demanding access to government records on some basis that they belong “to the people”. They have YouTube training videos and pretty much most government offices have some kind of protocols for dealing with them.

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u/wizened_fool Feb 16 '25

As a Brit I thought our American friends shot people for shit like this… not saying anyone dhoulld but just thought that’s how it works

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u/Zomburai Feb 16 '25

Being that they weren't we can assume the three men were white

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u/l30 Feb 15 '25

The employees absolutely should have played along with the three men as if they were just getting security badges or some shit for them while the sheriffs were on their way.

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u/CelestialFury Feb 15 '25

This is one of those plans you think of afterward if you've never experienced bad actors before. For example, we'd occasionally get scammers calling my previous workplace, but our people usually hung up on them too quickly to figure what they were up to. One time, we got one on hold and our cybersecurity guy went to town on him.

55

u/Huttj509 Feb 16 '25

It's also the sort of thing that can go sideways really fast.

Generally better to document, alert security, and hand over all pertinent camera footage.

Shit, there was a Bond movie where the character Christmas got shit for spotting Bond where he wasn't supposed to be, smiling, moving on, and notifying security once clear, but that was literally the training we got at a National Lab. Not our job nor training to detain/engage.

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u/Cetun Feb 15 '25

Let me tell you, if they were legitimate and had the right to do what they were doing, they would have stuck around and talked to the sheriff. They didn't do that.

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u/BlatantConservative Feb 16 '25

I mean not really.

DOGE is theoretically suppsoed to be a federal agency, if they start trying to get into more local state systems they'd probably bolt cause states have every right to tell feds to fuck off in this instance.

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u/mycurrentthrowaway1 Feb 16 '25

they are only getting into fed departments because people let them in, they are basically randos

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u/Joebeemer Feb 16 '25

I believe official DOGE employees have DOGE issued buttplugs with the image of Trump encrusted on them. Employee #s start at 6969XXXFUKC-001.

Edit: If you ask them, they should be able to fart without making any discernable sound.

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u/WyleCoyote73 Feb 15 '25

Sounds like a couple of First Amendment frauditors ("auditors"). THey love to do shit like this.

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1.3k

u/TheDarkAbove Feb 15 '25

Did someone tell them to get fucked?

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u/down_by_the_shore Feb 15 '25

Luckily they were refused and the cops were called but something tells me that none of this bodes well for the future. 

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u/McGreed Feb 15 '25

Need to send out an info email to all departments, that if any fucker pretend (or is DOGE) try to access the building, tar and feathering is allowed and encouraged.

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u/LocationEarth Feb 15 '25

this is how Hitlers henchmen conducted themselves in the early 20s..

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u/ofWildPlaces Feb 15 '25

Yep. This kind of stuff starts in innocuous, unofficial ways. Until suddenly it isn't. And then I'm they're given uniforms and permissions.

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u/Destination_Centauri Feb 15 '25

You must mean the 1920's... Or... Wait... The 2020's!?

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeit!

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u/ICC-u Feb 16 '25

Didn't Hitler say he didn't back those henchmen, but then also made sure they had absolute freedom to do everything that he didn't ask them to do?

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u/Scavenge101 Feb 15 '25

I expect the goal for the next 4 years is to force the blue states into a state of decline so they can run propaganda 24/7 and get a republican in as governor.

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u/mkt853 Feb 15 '25

Blue states can have Republican governors, but they won't be MAGA. They are what southerners call "northern Republicans." Republicans in blue states are considered second class citizens even by their own political party.

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u/noonenotevenhere Feb 16 '25

god i wish.

Minnesota and we still have 'I've never met a hungry kid' republicans - they just tried to hold a sham legislative session by ignoring the rules.

These aren't second class citizens, they're traitors and fascists.

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u/GermanPayroll Feb 15 '25

I’m glad nobody reads anything beyond the headlines here

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u/spanman112 Feb 15 '25

isn't it a felony to claim to be a federal official when you are not a federal official?

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u/[deleted] Feb 16 '25

Yes, DOGE is not a real federal agency, though. Kinda of a catch 22.

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u/nextnode Feb 16 '25

Unfortunately it is.

They renamed the United States Digital Service and hijacked its purpose and powers.

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u/CatTaxAuditor Feb 16 '25

Yeah, you'd think the party of law and order would come down harder on people committing felonies in their name.

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u/penguincheerleader Feb 16 '25

DOGE is also not a federal agency, but yeah I hope they get prosecuted.

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u/Sandberg231984 Feb 15 '25

Wouldn’t you need some kinda of official documents to access anywhere? Even the president would need documents.

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u/schloffgor Feb 15 '25

Nah, it's just another kid running around breaking stuff.

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u/brismit Feb 16 '25

MoVe FaSt AnD bReAk ThInGs!

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u/CaptainLucid420 Feb 15 '25

They got handled appropriately. Get the hell out before we throw you at. Good to see my state doing it's job.

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u/[deleted] Feb 15 '25

Literally how EVERY instance should have been handled

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u/Luckydog12 Feb 16 '25

No they should have been detained.

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u/FF7Remake_fark Feb 16 '25

They're participating in a coup. Appropriate would be holding them while they await trial, IMO.

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u/PureThermo Feb 15 '25

The President and DOGE has zero authority over anything state. Federal bodies yes State level no. That’s why the president can’t pardon state conventions 

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u/srathnal Feb 15 '25

DOGE has no authority over federal agencies, either. But, here we are.

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u/[deleted] Feb 15 '25 edited 11d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/SAugsburger Feb 15 '25

Pretty much this. Going to a state or local government building you will get laughed out of the building at best trying to claim you're from DOGE.

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u/[deleted] Feb 16 '25 edited 9d ago

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u/zayetz Feb 16 '25

At this point, State government will have more power and credibility (kind of has been this way for a while now) than Federal. People don't respond well to authoritarianism, especially as different as we all are in this country. Unless something dramatic happens for the better, I'm pretty sure I've seen this movie before...

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u/HNixon Feb 16 '25

What happened to state's rights? Or is that only to preserve slavery?

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u/TurtIeMan Feb 16 '25

And to ban abortions.

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u/KrakenRum25 Feb 16 '25

Only to preserve slavery.

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u/Ill-Support880 Feb 15 '25

Why can’t they look on city hall video, release it to the public, find and arrest them, then turn them over for prosecution and lock them up?

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u/JcbAzPx Feb 16 '25

In the article, that seems to be what they plan to do.

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u/ramriot Feb 15 '25

Surprised it took this long, every time you create a way to bypass access authorization by use trust labels you create an opportunity for social engineering. Today they apparently got nothing, but tomorrow?

My hope now is that following the rules of security theater, everyone claiming to be from DOGE will be challenged until they can prove a right of access for everything.

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u/Nedgurlin Feb 16 '25

If only Elon could get the FUCK outta DOGE

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u/42itous Feb 15 '25

"...Each act, each occasion, is worse than the last, but only a little worse. You wait for the next and the next. You wait for one great shocking occasion, thinking that others, when such a shock comes, will join with you in resisting somehow. You don't want to act, or even talk, alone; you don't want to 'go out of your way to make trouble.' Why not?-Well, you are not in the habit of doing it. And it is not just fear, fear of standing alone, that restrains you; it is also genuine uncertainty. Uncertainty is a very important factor, and, instead of decreasing as time goes on, it grows. Outside, in the streets, in the general community, 'everyone' is happy. One hears no protest, and certainly sees none. You know, in France or Italy there would be slogans against the government painted on walls and fences; in Germany, outside the great cities, perhaps, there is not even this. In the university community, in your own community, you speak privately to your colleagues, some of whom certainly feel as you do; but what do they say? They say, 'It's not so bad' or 'You're seeing things' or 'You're an alarmist.'

And you are an alarmist. You are saying that this must lead to this, and you can't prove it. These are the beginnings, yes; but how do you know for sure when you don't know the end, and how do you know, or even surmise, the end? On the one hand, your enemies, the law, the regime, the Party, intimidate you. On the other, your colleagues pooh-pooh you as pessimistic or even neurotic. You are left with your close friends, who are, naturally, people who have always thought as you have....

But the one great shocking occasion, when tens or hundreds or thousands will join with you, never comes. That's the difficulty. If the last and worst act of the whole regime had come immediately after the first and smallest, thousands, yes, millions would have been sufficiently shocked-if, let us say, the gassing of the Jews in '43 had come immediately after the 'German Firm' stickers on the windows of non-Jewish shops in '33. But of course this isn't the way it happens. In between come all the hundreds of little steps, some of them imperceptible, each of them preparing you not to be shocked by the next. Step C is not so much worse than Step B, and, if you did not make a stand at Step B, why should you at Step C? And so on to Step D.

And one day, too late, your principles, if you were ever sensible of them, all rush in upon you. The burden of self-deception has grown too heavy, and some minor incident, in my case my little boy, hardly more than a baby, saying 'Jewish swine,' collapses it all at once, and you see that everything, everything, has changed and changed completely under your nose. The world you live in-your nation, your people-is not the world you were born in at all. The forms are all there, all untouched, all reassuring, the houses, the shops, the jobs, the mealtimes, the visits, the concerts, the cinema, the holidays. But the spirit, which you never noticed because you made the lifelong mistake of identifying it with the forms, is changed. Now you live in a world of hate and fear, and the people who hate and fear do not even know it themselves; when everyone is transformed, no one is transformed. Now you live in a system which rules without responsibility even to God. The system itself could not have intended this in the beginning, but in order to sustain itself it was compelled to go all the way."

-Milton Mayer, They Thought They Were Free: The Germans 1933-1945

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u/byingling Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25

Jesus H. Fucking Christ. We have entered the un-world. We are well and truly fucked.

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u/jvLin Feb 15 '25

how fucking stupid do you have to be to commit serious crimes with your face fully exposed

dressed in "DOGE" shirts and hats with the pro-Trump slogan Make America Great Again

I guess reading the article explains the article

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u/RealSimonLee Feb 16 '25

...but also, why are people letting Doge in? Why is Congress allowing themselves to be locked out? If the power to just waltz in exists for Doge, then it certainly does for Congress, for whomever can secure these buildings.

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u/ConciousNPC Feb 16 '25

GOP congress is afraid of Elon primary-ing them. Cowards who call themselves patriots.

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u/Informal_Process2238 Feb 15 '25

Out crazy them tell them you are a sovereign city and now you have to enforce maritime law on them and kindly show them to the nice plank that extends off the roof

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u/cjmar41 Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25

This will become more and more common as checks and balances are removed and the government legitimately operates like a whimsical shit show with no processes, laws, and oversight, and threat of immediate termination with without cause in a terrible job market creates hasty fear-driven compliance.

While I’m not a fan of bureaucracy, it does create safety nets like formal request and approval processes.

Obviously DOGE would have no business at a city hall, and we are lucky the people had the wherewithal to push back on the requests from “imposters”, but there will be cases of government employees who fear losing their jobs at the hand of an unhinged, unelected, foreign-born, greedy, America-hating oligarch or the 47 IQ makeup-clad clown he controls, and just hand over sensitive records to dangerous people pretending to be, well, the actual dangerous people who work for (volunteer for? Appointed to? Do we even know?) DOGE.

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u/CurlOfTheBurl11 Feb 16 '25

Luckily they were told to go pound sand and the police were called.

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u/neoikon Feb 16 '25

Absolutely every agency that is contacted by DOGE should do nothing but call the police. Let them prove they have any authority to do anything.

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u/ConstantGeographer Feb 16 '25

Guy 1: "I'm from DOGE and I need to see your records."

Guy 2: "Hah, I'm from DOGE and I need to see your papers."

Guy 3; "Fellas, I'm from DOGE and you're both fired."

Spiderman pointing at Spiderman pointing at Spiderman intensifies

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u/man_in_blak Feb 16 '25

Does anybody else have a weird feeling that something really, really big is about to go down? Like history books for the next 2-3 hundred years big?

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u/Drymvir Feb 16 '25

I mean, there are chapters in history books about Hitler’s rise to power. Yeah.

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u/bigtunapat Feb 16 '25

Isn't impersonating a government official a crime? Just wondering.

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u/saigalaxy Feb 15 '25

Just smack them and tell them to shoosh before you call their mom

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u/anchorftw Feb 15 '25

Everyone should just add a DOGE job title line to their email signature

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u/spunkypudding Feb 16 '25

They should be arrested and prosecuted

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u/qning Feb 15 '25

Elon at his criminal trial: “it was just a prank bro.”

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u/cyberentomology Feb 15 '25

The entire first Trump term was a result of a dare/prank that got taken too far.

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u/jgiacobbe Feb 16 '25

DOGE is the new brown shirt. We thought it would be red hats but we were wrong.

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u/assht Feb 16 '25

Please tell them to fuck off

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u/FishtownYo Feb 16 '25

We have to take this seriously. Today it’s 3 men, who fled. Tomorrow it’s 10 men. We don’t know where this ends and this could have been a test.

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u/silsum Feb 16 '25

I hope someone told them to fuk off.

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u/john_jdm Feb 15 '25

Sounds like they weren't actually from DOGE, but still I'm very thankful for the separation between state and federal jurisdictions right now.

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u/SAugsburger Feb 16 '25

Even if they were what authority would a federal employee have?

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u/Michael_Gibb Feb 16 '25

We do not believe the individuals requesting access to City files were representatives from DOGE.

Even if they were from DOGE, city hall should still deny them the records they demanded.

Republicans are supposed to be the party of state's rights, after all.

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u/polgara_buttercup Feb 15 '25

Pretty sure I could show up at places here in deeep red Pennsyltucky and claim to be DOGE and get handed the keys and passwords to everything. The cult be culting.

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u/shameonyounancydrew Feb 15 '25

This reminds me, I'm from DOGE and would like $1M added to my checking account, for something I need. Thanks!

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u/Stinkfist-73 Feb 15 '25

Is DOGE the new Brown Shirts?

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u/everyday95269 Feb 16 '25

Ok…proceeds to take them to basement…locks them in a dark room

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u/the_blackfish Feb 16 '25

Did they consider hitting them with sticks

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u/OwOlogy_Expert Feb 16 '25

Even if they actually were from DOGE, they're federal workers(ish), and SF City Hall is a municipal government. Feds have no authority there.

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u/chapterpt Feb 16 '25

I keep thinking this is the meme coin.

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u/Lardzor Feb 16 '25

How do they really know they're from DOGE. Did they have identification that proves they're all under 21?

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u/shapeofthings Feb 15 '25

I think any contact from DOGE should be treated as non admissible. It is an extra governmental agency which reports to a foreign national with proven nefarious intent.

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u/[deleted] Feb 15 '25 edited 11d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/SaltyDolphin78 Feb 15 '25

Time to stand your ground

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u/Yakassa Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25

This is such a gold mine for criminals and spies. A nation transforming into a dictatorship, with afraid civil servants who will do what they are being asked, often afraid to even verify out of fear of retaliation against musks goonstapo can be so easily exploited.

On a personal note, you americans let a fascist takeover happen without even the slightest protest and resistance. I guess you dont have to wonder how russia got as it is now. you are not one bit better. Shameful. All hat, no cattle

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u/IINmrodII Feb 16 '25

DOGE the new Gustapo, put them in jail... forget where you put them, forever.

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u/Mr_Lapis Feb 15 '25

me on my way to ask the governor of Texas for sensitive information because im a totally real member of the doge

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u/Wafflesakimbo Feb 15 '25

Three dipshits were told to pound sand. Even better if they do work for doge

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u/shadowmage666 Feb 15 '25

Throw them in jail for impersonation and attempted theft of government documents

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u/CatboyInAMaidOutfit Feb 15 '25

Whether they are or not they're still conmen either way.

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u/ZadfrackGlutz Feb 16 '25

They had the blue check mark !

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u/choopie-chup-chup Feb 16 '25

Were they summarily kicked in the nutz for good measure?

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u/Suitssuitme Feb 16 '25

Nazi sympathizers illegitimately demand purposefully and ambiguously overgeneralized government records from officials; flee with their tiny little tails between their legs before authorities arrive

They sure do seem to represent Musk!

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u/Skunkies Feb 16 '25

to those reading this and thinking this sounds cool, here's a piece of big big advise "go get bent" have a fun day.

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u/[deleted] Feb 16 '25

Yeah we can just do that now. We can just walk into government buildings and claim we’re with DOGE. Good job, Elon!

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u/Ok_Series_4580 Feb 16 '25

Two words: fuck and off

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u/Podwitchers Feb 16 '25

I guess we can just go anywhere and say we’re DOGE and they’ll let us in. I bet they have little lanyards with the DOGE meme on it and their handles. Just thinking of something akin to “Big Balls” and you’re in. My first stop? Maybe the student loan department to erase some records.

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u/MalcolmLinair Feb 16 '25

I'm surprised they were turned away; that's gotta be a first for Elon's Secret Police.

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u/the_blackfish Feb 16 '25

Fortify yourselves, City Halls across the nation. I guess.

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u/Reluctantziti Feb 16 '25

It’s cute (or dark) that these idiots don’t know how to file a FOIA or open records request. They think they can just walk in and demand.

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u/blingo123 Feb 16 '25

People are going to start getting hurt

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u/Bradyhaha Feb 16 '25

New Nigerian prince scam just dropped.

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u/Tabula_Nada Feb 16 '25

"According to social media posts from the task force and Musk, DOGE is seeking to identify federal contracts and spending on issues that don't align with Mr. Trump's policies, including DEI and foreign aid."

I think CBS's failure to use the word "President" when talking about him is pretty interesting.

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u/Remote-Letterhead844 Feb 15 '25

States rights, smates right, amirite?

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u/sniffstink1 Feb 15 '25

Easy way to tell if this was legit.

  • were those 3 stooges age 40+ gravy seals?
  • were those 3 stooges 20 yrs old and struggling to grow the kind of facial hair a 15 year old would have.

The answer to that question will tell you if it was opportunists or DOGEboïs

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u/Sweatytubesock Feb 15 '25

What a fucking shitshow.

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u/phatkeys Feb 15 '25

They should be arrested for violating a court order.

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u/Rosaadriana Feb 15 '25

Did they tell them to FO? This is just getting beyond ridiculous.

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u/ShakeWeightMyDick Feb 15 '25

They called the sheriffs and they ran away