Elon Musk, the wealthiest individual on the planet, is eager to uncover how so many members of Congress have managed to accumulate vast personal fortunes despite earning relatively modest government salaries.
While addressing a town hall crowd in Wisconsin on Sunday night, Musk said his initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency — or DOGE — would be taking a closer look at how some lawmakers have managed to build significant wealth over time.
One member of the audience asked Musk whether DOGE had come across evidence suggesting that USAID funds were funneled to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
“They’ll [the government] send the money overseas to one NGO [non-governmental organization], then they’ll go through a bunch of them, and then I’m highly confident that a bunch of that money then comes back to the United States and lands in the pockets of the people you just mentioned,” Musk replied.
“But it is a circuitous route. It doesn’t go directly, but let’s just say that there’s a lot of strangely wealthy members of Congress where I’m trying to connect the dots of, ‘How do they become rich?’”
Members of Congress without leadership roles earn $174,000 per year. Musk — whose estimated fortune sits around $330 billion, according to Bloomberg — played a role in blocking a proposal to raise lawmakers’ pay last year. He later supported the raise, arguing it could help fight corruption.
Many longtime legislators have managed to become multimillionaires while serving in office.
Among the richest are former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), with a reported net worth of $250 million, and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), whose wealth is estimated at about $552 million.
Pelosi’s financial portfolio has benefited significantly from the tech-focused investments she holds with her husband Paul, a venture capitalist. Their holdings include major firms like Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Netflix, and Google.
Scott accumulated his fortune prior to entering the Senate, largely from his involvement with HCA Healthcare — which operates hospitals — and Solantic, a chain of urgent-care centers.
“How do they get $20 million if they’re earning $200,000 a year?” Musk further pondered. “We’re going to try to figure it out and certainly stop it from happening.”
Musk’s stop in Wisconsin was part of an effort to promote Brad Schimel, a conservative judge from Waukesha County, in a heated contest for a seat on the state’s Supreme Court.
While there, Musk presented two Wisconsin voters with checks for $1 million each. He has encouraged residents of the state to sign a petition denouncing “activist judges” in order to qualify for the prize.
“I should say that the reason for the checks is that it’s really just to get attention,” Musk explained about the prize money.
“And somewhat inevitably, when I do these things, it causes the legacy media to kind of lose their minds.”
The high-stakes judicial race features Schimel facing off against Susan Crawford, a judge from Dane County. The outcome could heavily influence key decisions on topics such as abortion and electoral map redrawing.
The court’s balance is considered highly consequential, particularly given the tension between Wisconsin’s Democratic governor, Tony Evers, and the Republican-led legislature.
{Matzav.com}

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