Maryland’s political heavy hitters spoke at a rally Monday outside the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) headquarters in Woodlawn, firing up a large crowd of people to stay strong in the fight against tech billionaire Elon Musk’s takeover of the federal government’s Treasury systems, including those that control Social Security benefits, tax refunds, and salaries.
U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D) and Angela Alsobrooks (D) appeared, as did U.S. Reps. Kweisi Mfume (D – Maryland District 7), Sarah Elfreth (D – Maryland District 3), and Johnny Olszewski (D – Maryland District 2). Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley spoke, as did Rich Couture, president of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Council 215.
All the speakers referenced the unfettered access Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) have gained to the nation’s most sensitive data and financial information, shutting lawmakers and government employees out of systems that house massive software and information services needed for them to do their jobs. They decried his actions, and those of his small team of under-25-year-old men, as blatantly illegal and dangerous.
O’Malley, who led the Social Security Administration under former President Joe Biden, mocked the notion that DOGE could improve the efficiency of SSA.
“This is the largest insurance company in the free world. And you know what its overhead is? Less than 1%!” O’Malley said. “House Republicans have cut this agency to a 50-year low, and now the unelected co-president wants to cut Social Security even further!”
Emphasizing that when he was head of SSA, it was a fireable offense to even access other people’s personal data without having a valid purpose related to that person’s application.
“Now these boys from DOGE roll in violation of the Constitution, in violation of the law, in flagrant violation, and so we say again?” O’Malley asked the crowd, who responded in unison, “ELON MUSK, KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF SOCIAL SECURITY!”
Then O’Malley summed up his view of Musk’s moves.
“This is not about efficiency,” O’Malley said. “This is about 2 things: this is about stealing the personal data of Americans, and it is about taking a lifetime of earned benefits, your Social Security benefits, and turning it into a Bitcoin bank.”
Alsobrooks, Maryland’s freshman senator, told the crowd they were not powerless, because power comes from the people. Quoting former President Franklin D. Roosevelt, she said “(In difficult times) we Americans must and shall choose the path of social justice; the path of faith; the path of hope; the path of love toward our fellow man.”
She contrasted that to Trump.
“It is so clear that this president wants no part of this,” Alsobrooks said. “That he doesn’t believe in our humanity. That he doesn’t want us to have hope. That he doesn’t believe in justice, fairness, or the law…and so it is incumbent upon all of us to continue to raise our voices as we are today.”
Mfume encouraged the crowd to ignore those who say we can’t beat the powers that be. “For 50 years I have been in fights like this,” Mfume said. “And for 50 years I’ve seen fights like this become victorious, because people don’t stop.”
Extolling the virtues of America’s civil servants, and SSA’s employees in particular, Mfume said, “Yes, they work hard. Yes, they play by the rules. Yes, they love their country. Yes, they cherish their faith. And yes, they want a fair shot. What we’re seeing come out of Washington is anything but that.”
He added, “This fight is not for the feeble. It is not for the faithless. This will be a congressional fight, a constitutional fight, a legal fight, and on days like this, a street fight. Yes, we will stand.”
At the rally’s close, Van Hollen reminded the crowd of how many different avenues of resistance are being pursued.
“We are fighting every day in the United States Senate and our House of Representatives to stop this power grab and to stop these illegal actions,” Van Hollen said. “We’re also doing everything we can to support the court actions that are being taken. Yes, because that is the first line of defense when you have massive law breaking and when you have Republicans on the Capitol Hill who refuse to do anything.”
Van Hollen promised, “Team Maryland has been the tip of the spear in terms of fighting against Elon Musk’s takeover.”
After the rally, Couture spoke to Baltimore Fishbowl about how his union members have been feeling since Trump took office.
“Just the flood of orders and directives that have come from the administration on virtually everything, the people that we represent are anxious or confused or angry,” Couture said. “They’re frustrated and they feel that they’re under constant attack.”
He is reminding his members to take care of themselves first and foremost. He is also assuring them they are attacking a lot of these issues on multiple fronts with litigation, legislative action rallies, and communicating with members about what’s going on and what they can do to help them get involved.
“This is something that union leadership can’t do by itself,” Couture said. “This is something that the congressional delegation can’t do by itself. They need to know that the American people didn’t vote for this.”
Olszewski, another of the newer members of Maryland’s congressional delegation, spoke to reporters after the rally about the country’s history of struggles between the branches of government.
“We’ve had a long history in this country of battles between the various branches of government,” Olszewski said. “The bounds have always meant to be checked, but that’s sort of how this system is structured, such that you don’t have a monarch, you don’t have an authoritarian regime take over. I mean, our founding fathers intentionally built the checks and balances into place so that court courts can stop laws that are or actions that laws or actions, in this case, that are inconsistent with our Constitution.”
“I think it’s pretty clear this President is taking actions that are inconsistent with the law,” Olszewski said.
Marguerite Schervish was at the rally with two of her friends, Hazel Harrell and Joanne Walker. Schervish was an employee of Medicaid for 20 years, before retiring three years ago.
“I know that DOGE is in the building as we speak, accessing Medicaid records right now,” Schervish said. “I have friends that still work there. I keep in touch with my former colleagues, and I told them to stand pat. I hope they don’t sign the deferred resignation contract. I’m here today because I’m also a union member, and I’ve been a union member ever since I walked in the door on day one.”
“I just feel very strongly about the destruction of our federal government,” she continued. “Our federal employees work hard for us. And dismantling the federal government the way it’s being dismantled is not only illegal, in my opinion, but also immoral. And I want to stand for what’s right, and just and I want the people I used to work with to know that I’m with them.”
Harrell agreed.
“We want our country back,” Harrell told Fishbowl. “We want things back.”
Harrell questioned how someone from South Africa is in a position to tell Americans how to take care of our families and their needs.
“What is he going to do for us? How did he get in here, anyway?” she asked. “We didn’t vote for him. So, we’re here to show our support.… We will be here, we’ll continue to go where we need to go. We feel strongly about our country. We want to keep it.”
You can watch the rally below.
