‘This has to stop’: House Dem faces backlash for ‘promoting physical violence’ at DOGE protest
Democratic Congressman Faces Backlash for Calling for Street Fight Against Elon Musk’s DOGE Office
A Democratic congressman is facing heat from conservatives on social media after promoting the idea of a “street fight” at a protest pushing back against Elon Musk’s recent efforts to slash government waste through the newly created DOGE office. The congressman in question is Rep. Kweisi Mfume, who represents Maryland’s 7th Congressional District.
During a rally in Baltimore outside the Social Security Office, Rep. Mfume declared, “This will be a congressional fight, a constitutional fight, a legal fight, and on days like this a street fight, yes we will stand.” He went on to explain that he believes DOGE stands for “the department of government evil.”
Conservatives on social media were quick to criticize Mfume, accusing him of inciting violence and questioning why more media outlets weren’t covering his comments. GOP Sen. Mike Lee posted on X, “A ‘street fight’ to stop cuts to wasteful spending? Those are fighting words. And they’re not honorable words.”
Other conservative commentators echoed similar sentiments, with some suggesting that Mfume’s remarks were irresponsible and dangerous. The Trump White House’s rapid response team posted on X, “WATCH: @RepKweisiMfume (D-MD) riles his supporters up for a ‘street fight’ against President Trump’s agenda on rooting out government waste and corruption.”
In response to the backlash, a spokesperson for Rep. Mfume clarified that the congressman was referring to engaging disaffected voters in a metaphorical “street fight” to win their support. The spokesperson emphasized that Mfume is not opposed to cutting waste, fraud, and abuse in government and has actively worked on bipartisan initiatives to address these issues.
The controversy surrounding Mfume’s comments comes as Elon Musk and the Trump administration target the Social Security Administration as part of their DOGE efforts. Democrats like Sen. Chris Van Hollen have raised concerns about Musk’s actions, accusing him of conducting illegal raids on federal agencies with his DOGE crew.
Musk and other Republicans have defended their efforts to root out waste in government entitlement programs, arguing that the current system is rife with fraud and abuse. Musk recently posted on X, “At this point, I am 100% certain that the magnitude of the fraud in federal entitlements exceeds the combined sum of every private scam you’ve ever heard by FAR.”
Despite the controversy, Musk and Sen. Lee have both emphasized that the goal of auditing the Social Security Administration is to combat fraud and ensure the program’s solvency. They have refuted claims that legitimate benefits will be taken away and have condemned any calls for violence in response to their efforts.
In conclusion, the debate over government waste and the role of the DOGE office continues to ignite passions on both sides of the political spectrum. As lawmakers grapple with how best to address these issues, it is clear that the conversation will remain contentious and complex in the days ahead.
