Officials in San Francisco are investigating after three individuals, claiming to represent the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), arrived at City Hall on Friday requesting records from various offices before making their exit.
The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office reported that the individuals, wearing “DOGE” apparel and hats emblazoned with the pro-Trump slogan Make America Great Again, entered City Hall around noon. They approached several offices, demanding employees to provide digital data concerning “supposed wasteful government spending and fraud.”
Consequently, the employees denied their requests and notified sheriff’s deputies. By the time the deputies arrived, the men had already left City Hall.
“We do not have confirmation that the people asking for access to City records were indeed representatives from DOGE,” stated the sheriff’s office on Friday.
Deputies are currently reviewing surveillance footage and employing various investigative methods to gather leads.
DOGE, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, was established by President Trump via an executive order shortly after his inauguration, with the goal of significantly reducing federal expenditure.
According to social media updates from the task force and Musk, DOGE aims to uncover federal contracts and expenditures on matters considered incompatible with Mr. Trump’s policies, such as DEI initiatives and foreign assistance.
The task force has also faced legal challenges, with California Attorney General Rob Bonta being one of 14 attorneys general who filed a lawsuit on Thursday, questioning Musk and DOGE’s authority over sensitive government information.
“DOGE’s intrusions into federal agencies have created significant disorder, eroded trust within the American public, and caused serious damage to our nation,” Bonta expressed in a statement. “Similar to a bull in a china shop, Mr. Musk wields an undue amount of unauthorized power over critical systems and essential government programs that are crucial to the American way of life.”
