Remember how OMB and Acting CFPB Director Vought said he wanted to traumatize federal employees? Musk’s demand that employees list five things they did was reportedly in response to Trump’s demand that Musk be more aggressive. Does that make it sound like the purpose is to harass or for some more legitimate purpose, like accountability? After all, how long would it take to read through such reports from all or nearly all federal employees? Who are the people who are going to read all the reports? And if no one does, what does that tell us about the purpose of the demand? The reports are supposed to be sent also to the employee’s manager, but surely managers already know what their direct reports are doing. And if they didn’t and wanted to know, they could ask directly. This demand sounds like it fails the Administrative Procedure Act’s arbitrary and capricious test.
