Now even folks in AUSTRALIA know that Ben Cline is fed up!

The clips of Elon Musk behaving like a goofball don’t exactly reinforce Cline’s message about Musk’s supposed trustworthiness.

And it’s wrong to suggest that Cline’s letter defending Musk and DOGE was a response to “Democratic lawmakers.” It was a response to a deluge of angry phone calls and emails from Cline’s Sixth District constituents.

Congressman Cline’s friends at Fox News (he is a frequent guest for softball interviews on Fox News and Business) have published an article about his infamous “fed up” post on X.

Cline did not dispel anything in his letter to constituents who expressed dismay over what Elon Musk and DOGE are doing. The article quotes extensively from Cline’s letter, but the reporter apparently made no effort to fact-check what he wrote or find out what his constituents are telling him.

Here is what I emailed to the reporter:

The reason Ben Cline is “fed up” is that his office is being inundated with phone calls and emails from people in the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia who express concern about what Elon Musk and DOGE are doing.

If I hear back, I will publish the response.

Did you see this? Congressman Cline is “fed up” with his constituents who are phoning and emailing his DC office to voice their opinions about unelected billionaire Elon Musk and his army of young DOGE weasels shutting down government agencies and having access to the most sensitive and private information about our tax returns and Social Security and Medicare accounts, among other things.

Cline posted a copy of the letter he is sending to constituents who contact him about Musk and DOGE. He takes six long-winded and unconvincing paragraphs to say that he is perfectly fine with what Musk and Trump are doing, that they are both worthy of our complete trust, and they would never do anything improper. 

The subtext of Cline’s post is: He does not want to hear any more from the people of the Sixth District about this matter. This despite his assurance that “I value all feedback from constituents.”

Cline’s congressional office will be open on Monday morning. The phone number is (202) 225-5431. Remember: If you’re a constituent, he values your feedback.

If you called Congressman Cline’s office (202-225-5431) this week about the role of an unelected billionaire in the Musk-Trump administration, you may have got this email in response.

Bottom line: Cline is perfectly fine with what Musk and Trump are doing, and thinks they are both worthy of our complete trust. Most of what he writes in the email is obfuscating BS. If someone wants to write a fact-based refutation of it, please let me know.

Dear Mr. Zitzer (sic),

Thank you for contacting my office regarding your concerns with businessman Elon Musk’s role in the Trump Administration. I appreciate hearing from you on this important topic.

As you know, today’s society relies heavily on technology. As technology develops and society evolves, so must our government. In fact, June 30, 2024 marked the deadline for all U.S. federal agencies to transition to fully electronic records. With that in mind, protecting the privacy of Sixth District constituents is a top priority. It is essential that we ensure the protection of individuals’ digital records under the control of the federal government, including Social Security and Medicare records.

I also believe it is crucial to recognize that the President of the United States, regardless of their party affiliation, has Article II constitutional authority to appoint individuals who can help execute their vision for the federal government. Most recently, President Trump designated Elon Musk as a “special government employee,” which is defined by Section 202 of Title 18 of the United States Code. President Trump’s decision to enlist Mr. Musk is a bold step toward strengthening America’s technological leadership and eliminating bureaucratic inefficiencies. This appointment is fully within the President’s discretion and is no different from past administrations appointing industry experts to key cabinet, advisory, and operational roles.

For over 20 years, Mr. Musk has undoubtedly showcased to the American people his unparalleled ability to drive innovation, develop world leading technologies, and ensure America is the world leader in energy, Artificial Intelligence, rocketry, transportation, and healthcare, among other fields.

Further, Musk is not a private citizen being given “unprecedented access to personal or sensitive information,” as the extreme left would lead you to believe. Mr. Musk holds some of the highest-level security clearances as a key defense contractor and his work is integral to ensuring U.S. military superiority. As you are aware, the rocket systems and satellites his companies produce are used across the federal government, including in the Department of Defense, and his Starlink system has been critical in supporting U.S. allies abroad. There are few, if any, private individuals who have done more to advance America’s technological and defense capabilities in modern history. If there is anyone qualified to bring the federal government into the 21st century and improve its efficiency, it is Elon Musk.

Additionally, led by Mr. Musk, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is an essential initiative to reduce wasteful spending, cut bureaucratic red tape, and modernize government technology. On his first day in office, President Trump legally integrated DOGE into the federal government by way of an executive order renaming the U.S. Digital Service as the U.S. DOGE Service (USDS). Fully authorized under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), USDS will enhance government productivity and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly. Each executive agency’s DOGE Team works in coordination with agency heads in order to ensure the implementation of President Trump’s DOGE agenda. Treasury Secretary Scott Bissent has already approved DOGE’s lawful access to unclassified records and systems to facilitate this integration.

There is no evidence to support the allegation that Elon Musk or his team has unlawfully accessed or seized the sensitive data. Any access to citizen data is strictly regulated, and the role of DOGE is focused on modernizing outdated systems, not compiling private information. The real threat to Americans’ privacy has come from an unchecked bureaucracy that has mismanaged data security for decades. The reforms proposed by President Trump and implemented by individuals like Mr. Musk are designed to prevent government overreach, not expand it. The current laws protecting the privacy of citizen information have not been revoked and will be strongly enforced.

Additionally, to ensure proper legislative oversight of these efforts, I am proud to serve as a member of the new DOGE Caucus here in Congress. This caucus will work alongside President Trump to introduce reforms that streamline government operations, eliminate inefficiencies, and restore fiscal responsibility in Washington.

I appreciate you reaching out regarding this issue and welcome continued discussion on how Congress is taking proactive steps to strengthen our government’s technological and fiscal responsibility. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if I can be of further assistance. To receive the latest updates from my office, I encourage you to sign up for my e-newsletter at cline.house.gov or like/follow my Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Sincerely,

Ben Cline

Member of Congress

In a recent Cline Watch post, I wondered why Congressman Cline– who regularly professes fealty to the Constitution and brags about carrying a copy wherever he goes– was silent about President Trump’s order declaring that children born in the United States of undocumented parents are not entitled to US citizenship.

As I noted, the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution makes it abundantly clear:

 “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside”

There are no exceptions. The American-born children of undocumented parents are, of course, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and they are citizens according to the Constitution.

Now Cline has broken his silence. He posted this on his X account:

So the woman who ran this scheme was rightfully prosecuted, convicted and sentenced. But that doesn’t change the meaning of the 14th Amendment. The Constitution does not grant Trump or any other President the authority to “narrow its definition.”

If Cline and Trump think the amendment needs to be revised, all they have to do is persuade two-thirds of the members of both houses of Congress and majorities of three-fourths of the state legislatures.

If Cline doesn’t believe me, he can look it up in his copy of the Constitution.

Does Congressman Cline agree with his Republican House colleague Rich McCormick that kids in the Sixth District who get free meals at school are sponging off the government?

We see you, Ben, but we don’t hear you.

We know Congressman Cline is capable of denouncing actions by a sitting President. He did it almost every week during the four years of the Biden administration.

So it’s revealing– though hardly surprising– that Cline has been silent about three particular executive actions signed by our new President that you would think should set off alarms for him.

• President Trump signed an order declaring that children born in the United States of undocumented parents are not entitled to US citizenship.

But the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution makes it abundantly clear:

 “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside”

There are no exceptions. The American-born children of undocumented parents are, of course, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

Cline likes to brag about his devotion to the Constitution and frequently tells audiences that he carries a copy of it in his pocket. Has he read it lately?

Why is Cline silent about this now?

• Trump issued an order to delay for 75 days a law passed by Congress to ban the TikTok ap in the United States.

TikTok’s China-based parent ByteDance was supposed to find a U.S. buyer or be banned on Jan. 19. Trump’s order could give ByteDance more time to find a buyer.

“I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok,” Trump said.

Shou Zi Chew, TikTok’s CEO, attended Trump’s inauguration earlier in the day, seated with American tech heavyweights.

…..

The platform went offline before the ban approved by Congress and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court took effect Sunday. After Trump promised he would pause the ban Monday, TikTok restored access for existing users. Google and Apple, however, still have not reinstated TikTok to their app stores.

…..

The law that Congress passed and now-former President Joe Biden signed in April allowed for a 90-day extension if there had been progress toward a sale before the statute’s effective date. Less certain is whether that provision can be applied retroactively, according to Sarah Kreps, director of Cornell University’s Tech Policy Institute.

“Executive orders cannot override existing laws,” Kreps said. “It’s not clear that the new president has that authority to issue the 90-day extension of a law that’s already gone into effect.”

Cline fully supported the law in question.

“Our bill is not an act of censorship, it is a safeguard for our citizens, a firewall against foreign adversary controlled applications,” said Rep. Ben Cline (R-Va.).

He told Maria Bartiromo of Fox Business:

“We know China is using [TikTok] to collect data on Americans. So China is looking in the phone records, listening to the phone conversations, acquiring the metadata of Americans.”

So whether or not ByteDance sells TikTok in the next 75 days, the dangers Cline warned about are still as real as ever– with Trump’s approval.

Why is Cline silent about this now?

• Trump issued roughly 1,500 pardons and commuted the sentences of 14 others in connection with the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol. He has called the insurrectionists “hostages.”

Trump commuted the sentences of individuals associated with the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, who were convicted of seditious conspiracy. He then issued “a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021,” a category that included people who assaulted law enforcement officers.

Chris Graham of The Augusta Free Press reports that among those pardoned was Jay Matthew Kenyon of Harrisonburg, who was sentenced earlier this month to 15 months in prison for brandishing a knife at police during the assault on the Capitol.

Here is what Cline posted on Facebook on the day of the insurrection:

On January 8, 2021, he issued a statement about the death of a Capitol police officer:

“Elizabeth and I are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, who sustained a fatal injury while engaging rioters at the Capitol earlier this week,” Cline said. “Our Nation mourns the loss of Officer Sicknick, who gave his life in defense of the People’s House. Congress stands united in our rejection of the violence that occurred this week, and I continue to urge the swift prosecution of those involved to the fullest extent of the law.”

Does Cline feel the same way now? He has been notably silent about January 6 since then, and he remains silent about Trump’s mass pardon. Despite Cline’s frequent tributes to the bravery and dedication of police officers, we shouldn’t expect him to insist that Mr. Kenyon serve his full sentence.

I have no doubt Cline will have countless more opportunities to be silent over the next four years of the Trump administration.

Can you spot the key phrase in Congressman Cline’s Facebook post above?

It’s “Trump DOJ.”

A Reuters report provides necessary context about the “One Agency Act.”

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s merger-busting, antitrust enforcement powers are coming under threat as conservatives look to harness President-elect Donald Trump’s support for limiting government.

On Tuesday, U.S. Representative Ben Cline, a Republican from Virginia, reintroduced the One Agency Act, which would remove the FTC’s antitrust authority and give it to the U.S. Department of Justice. The two agencies have shared federal antitrust jurisdiction, intended to guard against anticompetitive business behavior, for more than 100 years.

Outgoing FTC Chair Lina Khan’s skeptical stance towards company mergers and expansive view of the agency’s authority drew criticism from some in the business community and fueled Republican arguments to dial back the agency’s power.

Cline’s proposal – which was hinted at in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 policy platform – will test Congress’ willingness to streamline the U.S. government through legislation, a key pillar of Trump’s agenda.

Cline, who met in December with Trump’s government efficiency consultants Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, said his bill fits with their efforts.

…..

Critics say the two agencies are a successful tag-team. U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler, a Democrat from New York, called the bill an attempt to “abolish the antitrust police” at a hearing in April.

Nadler warned at the hearing that the bill would effectively repeal the FTC’s broad authority to protect against unfair methods of competition under the FTC Act, which it used in 2024 to sue pharmacy benefit managers and pass a ban on worker noncompete agreements.

Putting the DOJ in charge of antitrust enforcement would hand the White House more control, because the president can fire political appointees at the DOJ, which is an executive branch agency. The FTC, in contrast, is a bipartisan independent agency, whose commissioners can only be fired with cause.

So Cline is doing the bidding of Trump’s chief oligarchs, who (of course) want to weaken antitrust enforcement. Do they expect that if Cline’s bill passes, the “Trump DOJ” will be more corporate-friendly– and less consumer-friendly and less worker-friendly– than the more independent FTC?

I think we know the answer to that.

In an interview with NewsMax, Congressman Cline talked about a recent meeting he and other Republican members of Congress had at Mar-a-Lago with the incoming Trump administration’s chief oligarch Elon Musk.

“It’s always exciting to be in a conversation with Elon Musk,” Cline said. “His brain works at levels that are far above any of mine or any of my colleagues. … The bureaucracy is huge. It’s going to take someone like Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to actually tackle all of the bureaucracy, that is going to push back.”

I think Cline is being too modest. Both his brain and Musk’s brain seem to operate at about the same level when it comes to sheer fantasy.

As I posted in November, Cline eagerly agreed with Musk that it was possible to cut $2 trillion in government spending—more than Congress’s entire discretionary budget.

The key to this impossible feat, Cline suggested, is to cut “bureaucracy.”

Since then, however, Musk has backtracked. He said half that amount would be “an epic outcome.”

I have no doubt that Cline’s nimble brain will come to the same conclusion.

The Washington Post reports:

Former congressman Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) regularly paid for sex, possessed illegal drugs and paid a 17-year-old girl for sex in 2017, according to a 42-page report released by the House Ethics Committee on Monday on President-elect Donald Trump’s former pick for attorney general.

The report cited “substantial evidence” that from 2017 to 2020, Gaetz “regularly paid women for engaging in sexual activity with him,” and from 2017 to 2019, possessed illegal drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, on “multiple different occasions.” The Ethics Committee also investigated a 2018 trip Gaetz made to the Bahamas where the panel found he accepted transportation and lodging in violation of the House rules and laws on gifts.

As we have previously reported, Gaetz (shown here with his pal Congressman Cline at a Conservative Political Action Conference) donated $2,000 to Cline’s 2020 reelection campaign. And when President-elect Trump briefly tried to nominate Gaetz as attorney general in his next administration, before an uproar forced him to withdraw, Cline said of Gaetz:

“He is a warrior against the weaponization of the Justice Department and the lawfare that’s been waged by the Biden administration. So, he knows exactly what has to happen to the Justice Department to fix it.”

Congressman Cline: Please don’t try to tell us you had no inkling of Gaetz’s disgusting and illegal behavior when you accepted his gift and praised his nomination. We won’t believe you.

Do you have the decency to be embarrassed?