Search engine queries on ‘criminal defense attorney’ peak in DC in response to Elon’s DOGE rampage

The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) seems to have struck a few “fear” nerves in Washington, D.C., as the crackdown on wasteful government expenditures continues. According to a newly created market on the decentralized platform Polymarket, there’s a 59% chance a federal employee will be charged with the department’s investigations.  

In a recent X post, Polymarket shed light on the growing anxiety in the capital, saying: “Searches for ‘criminal defense attorney’ surging in DC… can’t make this stuff up, folks.” 

Searches for "criminal defense attorney" surging in DC… can't make this stuff up, folks. pic.twitter.com/dBcNAFD2Pi

— Polymarket (@Polymarket) February 12, 2025

The post followed a response to Musk, who had questioned a $1.5 million Department of Education contract for “observing mailing and clerical operations.” 

DOGE ‘cuts’ through Washington 

On February 11, DOGE announced the termination of 29 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training grants worth a total of $101 million. One of the grants aimed to train educators to “help students understand and interrogate the complex histories involved in oppression and recognize areas of privilege and power on an individual and collective basis.”

That same day, DOGE, in coordination with the Department of Education, canceled 89 additional contracts valued at $881 million. Among them was the $1.5 million payment for mail center observations, which Musk personally criticized on X, stating, “When I asked why, nobody knew.”

Early Thursday, the department launched its official website, outlining its mission and providing resources for public transparency. The initial version of the site features a live feed of DOGE-related posts from X, allowing the public to track developments in real time. 

Another feature is a consolidated government organizational chart, which details over 16,000 offices, providing an unprecedented look at the scale of federal bureaucracy.

The website also includes a summary of the regulatory landscape. It features what DOGE calls the “Unconstitutionality Index.” This metric is designed to highlight the ratio of rules written by unelected bureaucrats compared to laws passed by Congress.

The website echoes DOGE’s claim that regulatory overreach has been a significant issue in government operations.

According to the Musk-led government arm, further updates are planned to be release by this Friday. These additions will include a detailed breakdown of each cost reduction, with supporting documentation meant to justify the department’s decisions. The site will also introduce an overall savings scorecard designed to track the financial impact of DOGE’s reforms.

Lawmakers weigh in on spending cuts

Despite his push to reform government spending, the Tesla CEO has faced criticism over his own financial ties to federal agencies. The New York Times reported that at least 11 federal agencies are investigating Musk’s companies, with over 30 active probes into Tesla, SpaceX, and his other ventures.

Democratic party members are insisting that his businesses have allegedly received billions of dollars in federal funding through contracts, tax breaks, and loans. They are now pushing “conflict of interest” lawsuits, trying to convince the Department of Justice that his crackdown on government waste might also serve to protect his own interests.

However, beyond all the noise from liberals, DOGE’s efforts have drawn support from conservative lawmakers, with some like Representative Brandon Gill, who is part of the department’s Congressional subcommittee, saying Musk is onto something.

“The Democrat Party has for decades systematically grown and weaponized the administrative state against the American people. And the American people have had enough of it,” he said.

In the February 12 inaugural DOGE Senate hearing, Gill revealed that improper payments since 2003 have hit a staggering $2.7 trillion. 

“We are uncovering what could be the biggest money laundering scandal in American history, and the other side of the aisle could care less,” he added, alleging that taxpayer money has been funneled into media outlets like NPR, PBS, BBC, and Politico, as well as left-wing NGOs.

Another Musk supporter, Colin Wright, who is the Editor-in-Chief of Tennesse-based publication The Reality’s Last Stand, ridiculed Democrats for “buying the media narrative that Elon is a Nazi robber baron.”

“I’ve tried to softly interrogate their misanthropic assumptions about Elon, and am met with a WALL of unhinged text. It’s clear that changing their minds would be an immense task and practically impossible at this point,” he posted on X.

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