Congresswoman Brown Statement on Oversight Republicans Blocking Subpoena of Elon Musk

Washington, DC – At today’s Oversight Committee hearing, Ranking Member Gerry Connolly (VA-11) motioned for the committee to subpoena Elon Musk, given his dangerous efforts to dismantle the federal government and access to sensitive Treasury and personal information.  

Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) joined Democratic colleagues in supporting a subpoena of Elon Musk to appear before the committee. However, in a party-line vote, Republican members of the committee voted to table, or block, the subpoena. 

“The Oversight Committee has given up on oversight. Elon Musk – unelected, unvetted, unconfirmed by the Senate, has unprecedented access to sensitive Treasury payment information and the personal information of taxpayers. He is attempting a takeover of federal agencies, even barring people from entering federal buildings. It is appalling that Republicans on the Oversight Committee have no interest in conducting any oversight into this. By blocking our subpoena of Elon Musk they have sent a clear message: they do not want the American people to know what Musk is doing,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown.  

On Tuesday, Congresswoman Brown wrote to the Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Managementexpressing concern regarding numerous reports that Elon Musk and his associates ignored cybersecurity and privacy protections and introduced vulnerabilities into information technology systems in their attempt to send their potentially illegal “Fork in the Road” email to federal workers.