Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek calling on him to immediately resign and to come before the Committee for a transcribed interview. Committee Democrats obtained emails exposing his decision to terminate two contracts between SSA and the state of Maine – knowing that doing so would increase waste, fraud, and abuse – in order to carry out President Trump’s threats against the State after Governor Janet Mills upset him.
The emails obtained by Committee Democrats show Dudek committed this transgression knowingly and willingly, even calling the Maine Governor a “petulant child” for standing up for her constituents.
“I write with grave concern regarding your decision to punish the people of Maine and undermine the integrity of the Social Security Administration in an effort to further the President’s personal grievances. On February 27, 2025, you ordered the termination of two contracts between the Social Security Administration and the state of Maine as direct retaliation for statements made by Maine Governor Janet Mills that upset President Donald Trump. Email documentation indicates that you ordered these contracts terminated even though you knew that doing so would increase improper payments and create opportunities for fraudsters. The Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration should serve the American people, not create waste, fraud, and abuse on the taxpayer’s dime. I call on you to resign immediately, and I request that you sit for a transcribed interview with Oversight Committee staff,” wrote the Ranking Member.
On February 21, 2025, President Trump publicly threatened to retaliate against the people of Maine after Governor Mills refused to bend to his will after he issued a potentially unlawful Executive Order. He told Governor Mills: “You’d better do it, because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t.”
On February 27, 2025, Acting Commissioner Dudek emailed SSA staff about Maine’s contracts with the SSA. At 3:30 pm that afternoon, a staff member sent an email warning him, “Terminating the contracts would result in improper payments and potential for identity theft.” The staffer promised to “provide more information shortly.”
At 7:09 pm on the same day, Acting Commissioner responded, stating: “Please cancel the contracts. While our improper payments will go up, and fraudsters may compromise identities, no money will go from the public trust to a petulant child.”’
Despite reinstating the contracts on March 7, 2025, and claiming that he did not intend to harm the people of Maine, the emails obtained by the Committee show that Acting Commissioner Dudek knew of the negative impacts of cancelling the programs and was willing to hurt the people of Maine and waste taxpayer money to avenge President Trump.
“The American people deserve answers about your activities and communications in the time between President Trump’s February 21, 2025 public threat to Governor Mills and your February 27, 2025 order to cancel the enumeration at birth and electronic death registration contracts with the state of Maine, and about your knowledge that cancelling these contracts would lead to increased waste, fraud, and abuse. Please propose convenient dates in April for a transcribed interview with Committee Staff. You should know that my invitation to sit for a transcribed interview will stand until the interview occurs—even after your resignation,” concluded Ranking Member Connolly.
Click here to read the letter to Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek.
