Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, admonished professional organizations linked to billionaire George Soros after they engineered anti-DOGE protests across the country.
Indivisible and MoveOn are partisan networks tied to Soros, a powerful leftist figure in Democratic circles who has donated billions to controversial progressive initiatives in the U.S. and abroad through his Open Society Foundations. An investigation published this week by the Washington Free Beacon found that the two organizations organized seemingly organic constituent protests to DOGE at GOP town halls and congress members’ offices in several states.
Musk issues warning
Musk took to social media to address the news, telling followers that “pushing fake outrage” against DOGE will only “backfire” on Soros-linked groups. Soros has donated millions of dollars to both MoveOn and Indivisible.
Musk’s rebuke comes after MoveOn, which is led by Rahna Epting, announced in a Feb. 17 press release that it would work with allies to target congressional members supportive of DOGE during rallies and town halls.
MoveOn targets Republican seats
The organization said it would target members in Arizona’s 1st and 6th congressional districts, California’s 41st District, Colorado’s 8th District, Pennsylvania’s 8th District, and Virginia’s 2nd District — all “key” districts represented by Republicans “whose votes will be crucial in opposing harmful policies backed by Musk and [President Donald] Trump.”
MoveOn Civic Action announced a nationwide “Congress Works for Us, Not Musk” mobilization earlier this month, with rallies and town hall actions designed to pressure lawmakers to “fight back against the Trump-Musk agenda.
“MoveOn members and allies will show up at congressional-led town halls and congressional offices across the country, targeting House Republicans whose votes will be crucial in opposing Trump and Musk’s harmful policies,” a press release from the group reads.
In a post to BlueSky on Monday, the group confirmed that 150 MoveOn members targeted a Republican congresswoman’s office in Virginia’s 2nd District to protest DOGE.
“This weekend, members of Congress were back in their districts for recess, and MoveOn members across the country used it as an opportunity to remind their reps that they work for us, NOT Musk. In Virginia, 150+ members gathered outside Rep. Jen Kiggans’ office to demand accountability and action,” MoveOn wrote.
MoveOn has held 59 events across the country targeting Musk, according to the group’s website.
Last week, MoveOn reported that it had led rallies targeting Rep. David Schweikert’s (R-AZ) office in Arizona, as well as Rep. Ken Calvert’s (R-CA) office in California.
Today, MoveOn members gathered outside Rep. Schweikert’s and Rep. Calvert’s offices—billboard trucks, signs, and grassroots power in full force. Recess is for accountability, and we’re making sure our reps are listening.
Indivisible’s plans
Indivisible’s website urges members to target vulnerable GOP members by using “Town Halls & Empty Chair Town Halls.”
“If they show up, ask the tough questions. If they don’t, make sure their constituents know about it,” the group’s website reads.
Indivisible organized anti-DOGE protests during Rep. Scott Fitzgerald’s (R-WI) town hall on Friday, according to a local news outlet.
“Normally, only a few people show up for routine visits to their district by members of Congress. This time about 100 people, largely organized by an organization called Indivisible, mostly members of the Washington/Ozaukee County Democratic Party, showed up brandishing hand-crafted signs in opposition to Trump’s heavy-handed actions,” Urban Milwaukee reported.
Indivisible helped spearhead a protest outside one of Schweiker’s Arizona offices as well on Feb. 18. The organization also urged members to go to Rep. Cliff Bentz’s (R-OR) town hall on Feb. 19, which was beset by “distressed constituents.”
Rep. Rich McCormick’s (R-GA) Georgia town hall garnered perhaps the most attention. After being booed and shouted down by angry attendees, McCormick called on DOGE to take a slower, more targeted approach to slashing the bureaucracy.
Indivisible leader Ezra Levin subsequently heralded the news in a post to BlueSky, saying “Pressure works” with clapping emojis.
In another post to the social media platform on Tuesday, Levin mocked the Washington Free Beacon’s report that his group and MoveOn were spearheading protests about DOGE.
“Like clockwork, MAGA media tries to explain away the anger at GOP townhalls by saying Indivisible orchestrated all of it. They’re scared. Keep pushing,” he said.
Levin also pushed back after Musk criticized his group’s anti-DOGE focus.
“Second time in a week Musk has targeted Indivisible, this time posting a picture of me and [Levin’s wife] Leah,” Levin said. “He can f*** off. We’ll keep organizing.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) suggested earlier this week that the protests were not organic uprisings from constituents after he was asked if he thought Democrats might be able to channel voter pushback about DOGE.
“No, I don’t, because the videos you saw of the town halls were of paid protesters in many of those places,” Johnson told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. “These are Democrats who went to the events early and filled up the seats.”
AMY GLEASON IDENTIFIED AS ACTING DOGE LEADER AFTER WHITE HOUSE INSISTED IT WAS NOT MUSK
Johnson did not detail accusations that the DOGE protesters are paid.
Documents posted by Indivisible indicate they reimburse members up to $200 for “eligible expenses” associated “with your ‘Musk Or Us’ actions.”
