Feb 6, 2025 - Politics & Policy

House Democrat leaves DOGE Caucus over Musk's tactics

Andrew Solender

Rep. Val Hoyle, wearing a purple sleeveless dress standing outside next to a white marble column. — Rep. Val Hoyle at the U.S. Capitol on May 18, 2023. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.

Rep. Val Hoyle (D-Ore.) said Thursday she is leaving the Congressional DOGE Caucus due to Elon Musk's slash-and-burn tactics as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency.

Why it matters: It's the latest sign of rising Democratic frustration with Musk even from the centrist lawmakers who were most eager to work with him.

Driving the news: Hoyle, a swing-district lawmaker, said in a NewsNation interview that "most of my colleagues who are in this caucus — which, by the way, isn't working with Elon Musk, he's off on his own — they're operating in good faith."

"But, fundamentally, I don't see how we can actually do this work when Elon Musk is blowing things up," she continued. "It's like trying to replace your roof when someone's throwing dynamite through the window.
"So I'm leaving the DOGE Caucus, I will continue to do the work to find efficiencies, but right now I just don't think it's possible with what's happening."

Zoom in: Another Democrat in the predominantly Republican DOGE Caucus, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), told Axios of his membership on Tuesday: "Whether I stay in it or not, we'll see."

Asked again Thursday night whether he currently remains in the group, Moskowitz said he does.

Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) told Politico he is is staying in as well to "to make sure that we have a voice at the table to protect my constituents."

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House Democrat leaves DOGE Caucus over Musk's tactics

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