Attorney General Phil Weiser joined 20 other attorneys general in support of a lawsuit that seeks to block erratic management and unlawful layoffs at the Social Security Administration (PDF download). The chaos caused by acting administrator Leland Dudek, Elon Musk, and the Department of Government Efficiency jeopardizes continued payments for 68 million of Americans, including over 950,000 Coloradans; nearly one in six state residents.
“The chaos we’re seeing within the Social Security Administration is alarming, especially for the hundreds of thousands of older Coloradans who rely on Social Security to make ends meet,” said Weiser. “Social Security is a promise made to hardworking people that they will live with dignity in retirement, and any attempts to break that promise are reprehensible. I will do everything in my power to ensure that Coloradans can rely on Social Security now and into the future.”
SSA workers have reported decisions made by Dudek and DOGE threaten the agency’s ability to function. Announcements have been made only to be rolled back days, or even hours, later. Offices have been slated for closure only to later be removed from lists. Approximately 2,800 employees have been laid off or forced out indiscriminately without regard for how the cuts will impact SSA’s ability to provide core services. In the face of justified criticism, Dudek and DOGE have failed to offer any sound reasoning for their erratic actions, pointing instead to misinformation.
Musk has falsely claimed that SSA pays out $100 billion annually in improper payments, referring to SSA as a “Ponzi scheme.” President Trump incorrectly insisted that tens of millions of people over 100 years old were receiving Social Security checks. In reality, less than one percent of total benefits paid between 2015 and 2022 were improper, according to the SSA’s Inspector General’s Office. Of those improper payments, most were due to mistakes or delays, rather than false information to obtain undeserved benefits. Dudek himself has rejected the notion that deceased people are receiving benefits.
Staff cuts are exacerbating Social Security’s problems, rather than improving its efficiency. With further cuts planned, despite administrative costs only amounting to 0.5 percent of its budget, the situation will not improve. Staff reductions have led to longer lines at field offices and wait times on phones. Online users are faring no better, with several website crashes reported.
The brief supports the plaintiffs in American Association of People with Disabilities v. Dudek and was filed today in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Plaintiffs claim the staffing cuts and reorganization measures have delayed benefits and limited SSA’s ability to meet the needs of beneficiaries with disabilities in violation of section 504(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the First and Fifth Amendments.
Coloradans who have concerns about Social Security that they wish to report are encouraged to visit this link at the attorney general’s office’s website (opens new window). Users should select “Social Security Concerns” in the dropdown menu.
Joining Weiser in filing the brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.