¶ Overview
- Murphy was a vocal supporter of Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency.” He said he was “delighted” by the agency and “really looked forward” to the agency’s findings. When DOGE came under fire for its indiscriminate layoffs of federal employees, instead of standing up for Americans’ jobs, Murphy said critics of the agency had “Musk Derangement Syndrome.”
- Despite all the time Murphy spent hyping up DOGE’s importance, North Carolinians suffered thanks to the agency’s actions. DOGE’s downsizing efforts affected the federal government’s ability to deliver services to seniors, and the mass layoff of federal workers crippled several of the state’s top research programs and nonprofits. More than 187,000 North Carolinians in Murphy’s district relied on Social Security benefits and more than 17,500 were employed by the federal government.
¶ Murphy Said He Was “Delighted” By DOGE’s Work Despite The Detrimental Impact It Had On North Carolinians
¶ Murphy Said He Was “Delighted” That DOGE Was Working To Uncover How Government “Wasted” Taxpayer Dollars
February 2025: Murphy Said He Was “Delighted” That DOGE Was “Bringing Sunlight” To How Government Spent Taxpayer Dollars. Rep. Greg Murphy tweeted, “For all the Liberals whose heads are on fire about DOGE, take a look at how the Biden Administration sought to funnel $2,000,000,000 dollars to political activist Stacey Abrahm’s shell company under the guise of Green Energy. This is blatant fraud, and I for one am delighted that we are bringing sunlight to this so the American people can see how their tax dollars are being wasted and used for political purposes. https://freebeacon.com/trump-administration/billions-doge-found-parked-at-bank-earmarked-for-stacey-abrams-backed-green-group/” [Twitter, @RepGregMurphy, 2/21/25]
VIDEO: Murphy Endorsed DOGE’s Mission And Said He Was “Really Looking Forward” To The Agency’s Findings. Rep. Greg Murphy tweeted, “Just got back from a great discussion listening to Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk talking about the inefficiency and bureaucracy of the federal government. We have seen the federal government grow and grow and grow unchecked: more programs, more federal expenditures, without really taking a forensic look at things. I’ve run a small business, I knew where every paper clip was because we had a bottom line to meet, and our federal government should really react in the same way. […] We need to look at everything: we need to look at our healthcare sector, our technology sector, everywhere, in our defense spending also: where are we doing things right, and where are we spending the taxpayer monies inefficiently and needlessly. I am really looking forward to this reset, it’s going to be very, very important that we bring federal governments spending back to the taxpayer and make sure we’re doing the right thing for you.” [Twitter, @RepGregMurphy, 12/5/24] (video)
Murphy Laughed At Critics Of DOGE And Claimed They Had “Musk Derangement Syndrome.” Rep. Greg Murphy tweeted, “We have now found NIH has discovered a new disorder. It’s called MDS. ‘Musk Derangement Syndrome’. @DOGE @elonmusk” [Twitter, @RepGregMurphy, 2/12/25]
¶ 2025: at the social security administration, doge had forced mass layoffs, longer wait times and frequent website crashes
One Year After DOGE-Era Cuts Resulted In A 12 Percent Cut Of The Social Security Administration’s Workforce, Social Security Offices Across The Country Still Struggled With Staffing. According to Business Insider, "More than a dozen Social Security field offices are listed as closed to in-person service, instead directing customers to reach out by phone or contact the national 800 number. Now, the list of closures has prompted concerns for the beleaguered agency and its recipients. A federal employees' union memo obtained by Business Insider sheds some light on why offices are closed: Some due to operational issues with their buildings, while others are so small that any understaffing forces them to temporarily shut down. […] The closures come at a tumultuous time for the Social Security Administration and its beneficiaries; the agency shed around 7,000 workers, or nearly 12% of its workforce, during the DOGE era, and has had to temporarily reassign some employees to staff phone lines. While the SSA said these office closures are temporary, staffing issues and a lack of field offices could be an increasing problem for the administration and recipients alike. Some currently-shuttered offices simply don't have enough staff. These smaller offices, called resident stations, are often staffed by just one person and serve low-population areas. Two resident stations in rural Montana and Wyoming are closed for lack of workers." [Business Insider, 4/23/26]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Stops Reporting Call Wait Times And Other Metrics" [Washington Post, 6/20/25]
HEADLINE: "As Social Security Services Are Cut Back, Millions Of Seniors Face Long Drives" [Axios, 4/8/25]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Website Keeps Crashing, As DOGE Demands Cuts To IT Staff" [Washington Post, 4/7/25]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Faces Thousands More Job Cuts Even With Service In Tailspin" [Washington Post, 4/4/25]
The Social Security Administration Website Crashed Four Times In Ten Days In March Because Servers Were Overloaded. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
Field Office Managers At Social Security Offices Had To Answer Phones In Place Of Receptionists Because DOGE Had Pushed Out So Many Federal Employees. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
DOGE Eliminated The Social Security Administration’s System To Monitor Customer Experience. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
Early February-Late March 2025: AARP Said More Than 2,000 People Per Week Had Called Expressing Concerns About Whether They Would Continue To Get Their Social Security Benefits. According to the Washington Post, "Alarmed lawmakers are straining to answer questions back home from angry constituents. Calls have flooded into congressional offices. AARP announced Monday that more than 2,000 people a week have called the retiree organization since early February — double the usual number — with concerns about whether benefits they paid for during their working careers will continue. Social Security is the primary source of income for about 40 percent of older Americans." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
¶ More than 187,000 north carolinians in the 3rd congressional district relied on social security, and more than 17,500 were employed by the federal government
¶ More Than 187,000 North Carolinians In The 3rd Congressional District Relied On Social Security Benefits
2024: 187,641 North Carolinians In The 3rd Congressional District Relied On Social Security Benefits. According to the Social Security Administration, in 2024, 187,641 North Carolinians in the 3rd congressional district received Social Security benefits. [Social Security Administration, North Carolina, 2024]
¶ More Than 17,500 North Carolinians In Murphy’s District Were Employed By The Federal Government
2023: There Were An Estimated 17,800 Federal Workers In Murphy’s District. According to the Center for American Progress,
[Center for American Progress, 3/17/25]
¶ North Carolina Was Set To Lose An Estimated $714 Million Due To DOGE Cuts
¶ April 2025: North Carolina Was Set To Lose An Estimated $714 Million In Federal Funding Due To DOGE Cuts To Education, Public Health And International Aid Programs
HEADLINE: "Teacher Training And Disease Tracking Programs Slashed By DOGE In North Carolina" [News 2 (WFMY), 4/21/25]
April 2025: WFMY News 2 Estimated North Carolina Would Lose An Estimated $714 Million In Federal Funding Due To DOGE Cuts. According to WFMY News 2, “Two of the biggest areas in North Carolina seeing cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency — better known as DOGE — are public health and education. The Department, overseen by tech billionaire Elon Musk, claims it’s saved taxpayers $160 billion nationwide. 2 Wants To Know dug through the records to see what that really means for our area. What we found: At least 75 grants across the state are being slashed, totaling more than $714 million in lost funding.” [WFMY News 2, 4/21/25]
DOGE Cuts In North Carolina Included Cuts To Research Focused On Preventing Black Maternal Deaths During Childbirth, Research On Suicide Prevention Efforts Focused On Black Youth, And Legal Aid To Help Fight Housing Discrimination. According to News 2 (WFMY), "Some smaller—but no less meaningful—cuts include: $410,000 to UNC Chapel Hill for research focused on preventing Black maternal deaths during childbirth. $380,000 to UNC Charlotte for suicide prevention efforts focused on Black youth. $190,000 to Legal Aid of North Carolina to help fight housing discrimination." [News 2 (WFMY), 4/21/25]
DOGE Cuts Meant A Loss Of At Least $171 Million For The North Carolina Department Of Human Services, Which Said It Would Have To Eliminate At Least 80 Jobs And The Cuts Would Affect Immunization Efforts, Infectious Disease Tracking, Behavioral Health Programs, And Substance Use Disorder Services. According to News 2 (WFMY), "The North Carolina Department of Human Services is taking one of the biggest hits, losing at least $171 million. A spokesperson tells us the department will have to eliminate at least 80 jobs and that the cuts will directly affect: Immunization efforts The new NC Immunization Registry Infectious disease tracking and response Behavioral health programs Substance use disorder services State Epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore recently warned that these cuts could have serious consequences for public health. ‘If those programs were to go away, it would mean that we would lose our ability to be able to track what kinds of infections are circulating in our communities and to be able to respond quickly … I worry that we'll see a lot more cases and outbreaks of diseases,’ he said." [News 2 (WFMY), 4/21/25]
HEADLINE: "More Than 20 Government Facilities In North Carolina On The Chopping Block Amid DOGE Cuts" [NC Newsline, 3/7/25]
¶ Inspired By The Trump Administration, North Carolina Created Its Own DOGE Effort That Targeted State Agencies And Workers
July 2025: The North Carolina General Assembly Approved The Establishment Of A Division Of Accountability, Value, And Efficiency (DAVE). According to the Courthouse News Service, “North Carolina passed a mini-budget measure Wednesday, approving a DOGE-like expansion in a financial stop-gap after comprehensive budget agreements stalled. GOP leaders in the Republican-led General Assembly remain deadlocked on a biennial budget, with both chambers passing separate budgets but disagreeing on state employee raises and future tax cuts. A mini-budget includes a new state-wide DOGE-like accountability initiative called ‘DAVE,’ directing Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek to establish a Division of Accountability, Value, and Efficiency.” [Courthouse News Service, 7/30/25]
- HEADLINE: “North Carolina Approves DOGE Equivalent In Mini-Budget" [Courthouse News Service, 7/30/25]
- The DAVE Act Allocated $6 Million To Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek To Create 45 Positions For The New Department. According to the Courthouse News Service, “Since Democrats won most council of state races in 2024, even as the state backed Trump, Republicans have expanded the auditor’s powers. Boliek now has access to databases from companies receiving public funds and additional staff support. The bill allocates $6 million to his office to create 45 positions in the new division.” [Courthouse News Service, 7/30/25]
- Boliek Said DAVE Was “Not Going To Shy Away” From Making Recommendations To Eliminate State Agencies Or Vacant Positions Based On The Department’s Data Analysis. According to Courthouse News Service, “‘The DAVE Act creates exactly the type of government efficiency initiatives that North Carolina needs,’ Boliek said in a statement after the conference report — a format that allowed the mini-budget to skip going through the public committee process — passed the House Wednesday and was sent to the desk of the governor. ‘Our team is prepared to take a data-driven approach in its evaluation of North Carolina’s government,’ he said. ‘If cuts to government need to be made, or agencies need to be reorganized or eliminated, we’re not going to shy away from making those recommendations.’” [Courthouse News Service, 7/30/25]
The DAVE Act Required State Agencies To Justify Their Existence And Explain All Job Vacancies That Went Unfilled For At Least Six Months. According to WUNC News, “If the bill becomes law, all state agencies would submit reports by Oct. 1 justifying their existence and explaining any vacancies that have gone unfilled for at least six months. ‘My commitment is to do this in a non-partisan way that's data-centric,’ Boliek said Wednesday during a meeting of the Senate Committee on Regulatory Reform. The bill is North Carolina's answer to the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. DOGE has gutted several federal agencies and left tens of thousands of federal employees without jobs.” [WUNC News, 4/2/25]
- The New Department Would Recommend Positions, State Offices And Agencies For Elimination. According to WUNC News, “DAVE would be required to recommend positions for elimination, as well as state offices or agencies that should be dissolved. Those findings would be due in a report to the General Assembly by Dec. 31. As of February, state agencies employed around 57,000 people. There were over 14,000 vacancies.” [WUNC News, 4/2/25]
- The Executive Director Of The State Employees Association Of North Carolina Expressed Concerns About The Data DAVE Would Use To Make Recommendations. According to WUNC News, “Ardis Watkins, executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina, said that 20% vacancy rate could lead to massive force reductions. But Watkins also argued that many of those positions have remained vacant due to low pay. ‘There's no parameters laid out to explain exactly what's assessed, how this data would work,’ Watkins said. ‘There's genuine concern around all of this.’” [WUNC News, 4/2/25]
¶ DAVE Sought To Eliminate 819 Long-Term Government-Position Vacancies Across Multiple State Agencies
January 2026: DAVE Planned To Eliminate 819 Long-Term Government-Position Vacancies Across State Agencies. According to WBT, “In an update to an audit released in January by the Division of Accountability, Value, and Efficiency (DAVE), only 129 (15.6%) of 819 long-term vacancies planned for elimination across state agencies occurred by Feb. 1 The division has been analyzing long-term vacancies and associated lapsed salaries across state agencies. ‘The remaining positions continued to generate millions in lapsed salary, underscoring the importance of aligning staffing plans with budgeted positions and actual workforce needs,’ North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek said in a press release. ‘The report also highlights that some agencies pursued alternative workforce strategies rather than eliminating the specific vacancies initially identified. Notably, the Department of Adult Correction (DAC) eliminated more than 1,500 vacant positions to redirect funding toward operating expenses, including contract nurses and medical providers.’” [WBT, 4/20/26]
- DAVE’s January Report Identified 8,846 Long-Term Vacancies Across 46 State Agencies. According to The Carolina Journal, “The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor (NCOSA) released a 661-page performance audit late Thursday that showed, as of Aug. 6, there were 8,846 long-term vacancies across 46 state agencies, totaling $1.04 billion in lapsed salary. State agencies reported the information to NCOSA’s Division of Accountability, Value, and Efficiency (DAVE), which was created in August. The enabling legislation requires each state agency to report to the DAVE on how the agency spends taxpayer funds and instructs NCOSA to put together a report by the end of the year on which state agencies and jobs can be cut. State Auditor Dave Boliek gave a preview of the report earlier this month to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety.” [Carolina Journal, 1/16/26]
- The Executive Director Of The State Employees Association Of North Carolina Argued That DAVE’s Initial Analysis Failed To Account For Vacancies Caused By The Stalled State Budget And That Cutting Frozen Jobs Would Hurt The State More Than Help It. According to The Carolina Journal, “Ardis Watkins, executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina (SEANC), sent a letter to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein; House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell; and Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham; about her concerns with Boliek’s report. ‘What went unsaid is that for nearly seven months, almost 3,000 state positions have been frozen under G.S. 143C-5-4 solely because a new budget has not been enacted,’ she said. ‘Agencies have been unable to fill these jobs, no matter how critical the public need. That reality alone skews vacancy totals and distorts the narrative.’ Watkins added that if these frozen positions were permanently cut, North Carolina would have more than 1,000 fewer state jobs than in 2009, despite adding two million residents since then. ‘These are not unnecessary jobs,’ she said. ‘They are positions tied to real services. When agencies cannot hire, citizens wait longer, workloads grow, and outcomes suffer. Vacancy numbers will rise when hiring is prohibited, regardless of need.’” [Carolina Journal, 1/16/26]
¶ A North Carolina State House Bill To Fully Fund Medicaid For FY2026 Included A Provision To Potentially Allow DAVE To Audit The Program
Lawmakers Were Set To Vote On A House Bill To Fund Medicaid That Included A Provision Leaving Room For DAVE To Potentially Audit The Program. According to ABC 11 WTVD, “North Carolina lawmakers are expected to vote Wednesday on a House bill that would fully fund Medicaid for the remainder of the fiscal year, following months of debate over rising enrollment and increasing costs. The proposal, agreed to by House and Senate Republicans, would set aside $319 million to cover Medicaid expenses through June. State health officials say that amount is needed to keep pace with higher than expected participation and healthcare costs. […] The bill includes several provisions aimed at addressing alleged waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid program. Those measures were a major focus of a lengthy hearing at the legislature last week, during which Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley were questioned by lawmakers. The legislation would allow for a potential audit of the Medicaid program by State Auditor Dave Boliek and would make changes to the Medicaid renewal process.” [ABC 11 WTVD, 4/22/26]