The sudden uptick of angry protesters at normally quiet Republican Congressional town hall meetings and Tesla dealership surprised members of Congress last week, but new details show the left-leaning activist groups responsible.
Left-leaning groups Indivisible and MoveOn were at the center of the protests as they recruited activists to oppose billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts to slash government spending and enact reforms.
MoveOn Civic Action triggered a nationwide call to action during Congressional recess urging activists to show up at town hall meetings to remind lawmakers that ‘Congress Works for Us, Not Musk.’
They also helped organize a ‘Nobody Elected Elon!’ rally in Washington, DC outside the Treasury department.
The group Indivisible urged activists to launch anti-Musk protests in their districts.
‘Members of the House of Representatives will be back on your home turf from Friday, February 14th, through Sunday, February 23rd, and it’s our opportunity to remind them who they work for,’ the group wrote offering members an activist kit to help them protest.
‘Fighting back against the Trump-Musk coup is going to take all of us,’ the group added. ‘Sign up for updates and ways to take action against the Trump-Musk coup.’
Indivisible has also helped coordinate anti-Musk protests at Tesla dealerships. Activists at local dealership are holding signs accusing Musk of being a ‘Nazi’ and condemning Tesla vehicles as ‘Swasticars.’
Anti-Musk protesters rally across from the Tesla dealership at the Americana at Brand mall in Glendale, California
Anti-Musk protesters rally across from the Tesla dealership at the Americana at Brand mall in Glendale, California
Both groups have received funding from left-wing billionaire George Soros through the Open Society Foundation.
Grassroots organization surrounding town hall meetings is a common strategy for parties out of power, but lawmakers in typically Republican majority districts were surprised by the sudden boost in angry protesters.
The coordinated anti-DOGE protesting against Musk also puzzled lawmakers, as polling shows a majority of Americans approve of his efforts to reduce waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government.
Political candidates have also flexed their organized skills at town halls to earn respect from their colleagues.
Protest organizer Maggie Goldman described herself only as a ”constituent’ to CBS News at a Georgia town hall with Rep. Rich McCormick, but she also ran as a Democrat for District 1 Commissioner of Fulton County in the state in 2022.
Protestors in the town hall repeatedly booed McCormick as some people chanted ‘Shame!’ as he tried to speak.
Elon Musk gestures during the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC
Donald Trump participates in a protest with Elon Musk
The protests appear to have had the desired effect.
After returning to Congress this week, McCormick told reporters that the DOGE cuts should be showing more ‘compassion’ to fired employees.
‘I think we have to have really good conversations between the DOGE and Congress, between the president and the Senate and Congress to make sure that we’re all on the same page and we’re selling the message together and that we understand the impact on people who have real consequences for their families moving forward,’ he told a CNN reporter.
Republican Rep. Cliff Bentz of Oregon also told ABC News that he wanted Musk to better coordinate his cuts with members of Congress and learn from past mistakes.
‘I think the group is learning as it goes. You can tell this by the fact that they rehired some of the people they fired, so that’s a good thing — it shows that they’re listening and paying attention to what they’re doing,’ Bentz said.
‘I would tell him he needs to reach out to Congress and let us know what they have in mind before they do it. So we at least have some sort of heads up.’
But President Donald Trump continues to support Musk, endorsing his efforts to slash government despite triggering a flood of angry protestors.
‘ELON IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE,’ Trump wrote on Social Media over the weekend.
The president plans to include Musk in his first official cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday, the White House confirmed, further demonstrating his support.
