By MELISSA GOLDIN
President-elect Donald Trump’s billionaire ally Elon Musk performed a key function this week in killing a bipartisan funding proposal that might have prevented a authorities shutdown, railing towards the plan in a torrent of greater than 100 X posts that included a number of false claims.
The X proprietor, an unelected determine, not solely used his outsize affect on the platform to assist sway Congress, he did so with out regard for the information and gave a preview of the function he might play in authorities over the subsequent 4 years.
“Trump has received himself a handful with Musk,” John Mark Hansen, a professor of political science on the College of Chicago, stated in an e mail. “Trump’s accomplished this type of factor earlier than, blowing up a invoice on the final minute. This time, although, it appears like he was afraid of Musk upstaging him. Now there’s a brand new social media bully on the town, pushing the champion social media bully round.”
Hansen added: “We’ll see what Musk’s affect is when he runs up towards actuality — like when he proposes slicing off ‘wasteful’ spending for different folks however not NASA contracts for Area-X.”
Musk’s objections to the 1,547-page omnibus invoice included misinformation about congressional salaries, federal funding and public well being preparedness, amongst different subjects.
He alleged that the plan included a 40% increase for lawmakers. However the most pay improve potential by way of the proposal would have been 3.8%, in keeping with the Congressional Analysis Service.
A method that members of Congress can obtain a pay increase is thru automated changes that go into impact until denied by legislation. Most members make $174,000 per a yr after their final improve of two.8% in 2009. Congressional management is the exception, with the Speaker of the Home incomes essentially the most at $223,500 yearly.
The rejected invoice struck a piece from a earlier appropriations act that denied members of Congress this automated pay increase. A most improve of three.8% would have bumped their annual wage by about $6,600, to roughly $180,000 yearly.
Musk additionally shared a submit from one other consumer that falsely claimed the invoice offered $3 billion in funding for a possible new stadium for the NFL’s Washington Commanders, commenting: “This shouldn’t be funded by your tax {dollars}!”
The invoice included a provision to switch management of the land that homes RFK Stadium from the federal authorities to the District of Columbia. That switch is important to pave the best way for the Commanders to presumably construct a brand new stadium within the franchise’s outdated residence — although the staff continues to be contemplating different areas.
Nonetheless, no such funding is offered by the invoice. It states, the truth is, that the federal authorities “shall not be answerable for fee or any prices or bills” that the District of Columbia incurs after the switch is full other than duties associated to particular environmental points.
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser addressed false claims concerning the stadium’s funding on Thursday, calling them “irritating.”
“It was said that the C.R. comprises $3 billion for a stadium,” she stated at a press convention. “All mistaken. There aren’t any federal {dollars} associated to the switch of RFK and in reality, the laws doesn’t require or hyperlink in any respect to a stadium.
Bowser added that she has reached out to the Trump administration to appropriate misinformation about this concern.
In a 3rd submit, Musk incorrectly claimed that “We’re funding bioweapon labs on this invoice!”
The plan offered funds for as much as 12 regional biocontainment analysis laboratories, not services for creating bioweapons. It stipulates that amongst their makes use of, the labs will conduct biomedical analysis to organize for organic brokers comparable to rising infectious ailments.
A spokesperson for Musk didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from the Related Press.
Some members of Congress expressed dismay that Musk had disseminated misinformation concerning the invoice.
“I like you Elon however you must take 5 seconds to verify your sources earlier than highlighting backside feeders in search of clicks,” Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Texas Republican, wrote on X.
In a swiftly convened Thursday night vote, the Home rejected a brand new Trump-backed invoice whittled all the way down to 116 pages, with the invoice failing 174-235. Dozens of Republicans joined Democrats in opposition. Home Speaker Mike Johnson stated Friday afternoon that Republicans had reached a consensus on a 3rd spending deal, however didn’t present additional particulars.
Trump led Republicans into the longest authorities shutdown in historical past in his first time period in the course of the 2018 Christmas season, and interrupted the vacations in 2020 by tanking a bipartisan COVID-relief invoice and forcing a do-over.
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