Prof. Richard Painter Authors Op-Ed in Star Tribune About Potential Problems of a Department of Government Efficiency

Professor Richard Painter, S. Walter Richey Professor of Corporate Law, authored an op-ed in the Star Tribune about the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) that Donald Trump has tapped Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead. Prof. Painter said details are still murky and raise questions about conflicts of interest as well as transparency. He said, “Congress does not want federal agencies or presidents setting up advisory committees of wealthy businesspeople, or anyone else, who provide advice in secret without being subject to conflict of interest rules binding on government employees. Conflict-laden outside “advisers” can still advise the president, but if the advisory role is formalized and regular, as DOGE will be, it must be conducted through a transparent and regulated entity called a federal advisory committee. Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, such committees must keep publicly available records, have public meetings and allow for public participation.”