Latest news with #HUD
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hacker who beamed AI images of Trump kissing Elon Musk's feet was working during taxpayer-funded union time, report claims
The hacker who beamed AI-generated images of President Donald Trump kissing Elon Musk's feet onto federal computers was working during taxpayer-funded union time, according to the New York Post. The person behind the stunt at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was identified earlier this year as a high-ranking union official. However, their name has not been revealed as the matter is still under investigation. The official was working for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 476, a whistleblower, who has not been identified, told Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst. 'Reports of union bosses playing childish games and illegally engaging in partisan political activity while on the taxpayers' dime are the latest in a string of concerning allegations against HUD employees in recent years,' the senator told the paper. 'From bureaucrats relaxing on the beach or sitting in a jail cell while on the clock, the agency has been the poster child for why taxpayer-funded union time needs to end.' On Thursday, the president of AFGE Local 476, Dr. Ashaki Robinson, said the union 'unequivocally denies any involvement in the production or dissemination of the AI video featuring President Trump and Elon Musk.' This 'baseless allegation is another transparent attempt to attack and retaliate against AFGE for engaging [in] lawful activity to advocate for our members and federal employees nationwide,' Robinson added to the Post. 'Official time amounts are negotiated and determined by both the agency and the union, and by law can only be used for employee representational matters, not for political purposes or internal union business.' Ernst, the leader of the Senate DOGE caucus, shared the allegations from the whistleblower in a letter sent on Thursday to Housing Secretary Scott Turner. 'This improper access to the HUD computer system was not only childish and unprofessional, but also potentially illegal,' Ernst said in the letter obtained by the paper. The AI-generated clip of Trump kissing Musk's feet played on TVs in a cafeteria at the department, and included the message: 'Long live the real king.' The incident occurred earlier this year at the peak of criticism against Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency. A spokesperson for the Department of Housing and Urban Development told the Post that it is 'exploring how to reform the expansive and oftentimes abused flexibility inherent in taxpayer-funded union time.' 'It is egregious [that] the American taxpayer is on the hook for subsidizing the paychecks of union workers while these nefarious actions take place,' the spokesperson added. 'The Department will continue to work with leaders like Senator Ernst to return HUD to its mission-minded focus and stop the wasteful abuse of taxpayer dollars.' Ernst has previously criticized union time funded by taxpayers. As it stands, government employees are permitted to participate in labor activities during working hours. While government unions cannot negotiate pay and benefits, which are set by law, they can negotiate workplace issues. The senator has requested data on taxpayer-funded union time from 24 agencies, and has advocated for legislation to end it. The Office of Personnel Management found that in 2019, $135 million had been used for taxpayer-funded union time. Federal workers can engage in policy advocacy; however, the Hatch Act states that staffers in the executive branch cannot participate in rallies or ask for donations for political campaigns during working hours. The 19-second video of Trump kissing Musk's feet appeared on HUD screens in February on the day that federal workers were ordered back to the office after an executive order ended the practice of working from home. The video played on a loop for five minutes on screens in the building, journalist Maria Kabas reported at the time. 'Building staff couldn't figure out how to turn it off so sent people to every floor to unplug TVs,' said Kabas, citing an anonymous source at the agency.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Hacker who beamed AI images of Trump kissing Elon Musk's feet was working during taxpayer-funded union time, report claims
The hacker who beamed AI-generated images of President Donald Trump kissing Elon Musk 's feet onto federal computers was working during taxpayer-funded union time, according to the New York Post. The person behind the stunt at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was identified earlier this year as a high-ranking union official. However, their name has not been revealed as the matter is still under investigation. The official was working for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 476, a whistleblower, who has not been identified, told Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst. 'Reports of union bosses playing childish games and illegally engaging in partisan political activity while on the taxpayers' dime are the latest in a string of concerning allegations against HUD employees in recent years,' the senator told the paper. 'From bureaucrats relaxing on the beach or sitting in a jail cell while on the clock, the agency has been the poster child for why taxpayer-funded union time needs to end.' On Thursday, the president of AFGE Local 476, Dr. Ashaki Robinson, said the union 'unequivocally denies any involvement in the production or dissemination of the AI video featuring President Trump and Elon Musk.' This 'baseless allegation is another transparent attempt to attack and retaliate against AFGE for engaging [in] lawful activity to advocate for our members and federal employees nationwide,' Robinson added to the Post. 'Official time amounts are negotiated and determined by both the agency and the union, and by law can only be used for employee representational matters, not for political purposes or internal union business.' Ernst, the leader of the Senate DOGE caucus, shared the allegations from the whistleblower in a letter sent on Thursday to Housing Secretary Scott Turner. 'This improper access to the HUD computer system was not only childish and unprofessional, but also potentially illegal,' Ernst said in the letter obtained by the paper. The AI-generated clip of Trump kissing Musk's feet played on TVs in a cafeteria at the department, and included the message: 'Long live the real king.' The incident occurred earlier this year at the peak of criticism against Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency. A spokesperson for the Department of Housing and Urban Development told the Post that it is 'exploring how to reform the expansive and oftentimes abused flexibility inherent in taxpayer-funded union time.' 'It is egregious [that] the American taxpayer is on the hook for subsidizing the paychecks of union workers while these nefarious actions take place,' the spokesperson added. 'The Department will continue to work with leaders like Senator Ernst to return HUD to its mission-minded focus and stop the wasteful abuse of taxpayer dollars.' Ernst has previously criticized union time funded by taxpayers. As it stands, government employees are permitted to participate in labor activities during working hours. While government unions cannot negotiate pay and benefits, which are set by law, they can negotiate workplace issues. The senator has requested data on taxpayer-funded union time from 24 agencies, and has advocated for legislation to end it. The Office of Personnel Management found that in 2019, $135 million had been used for taxpayer-funded union time. Federal workers can engage in policy advocacy; however, the Hatch Act states that staffers in the executive branch cannot participate in rallies or ask for donations for political campaigns during working hours. The 19-second video of Trump kissing Musk's feet appeared on HUD screens in February on the day that federal workers were ordered back to the office after an executive order ended the practice of working from home. The video played on a loop for five minutes on screens in the building, journalist Maria Kabas reported at the time. 'Building staff couldn't figure out how to turn it off so sent people to every floor to unplug TVs,' said Kabas, citing an anonymous source at the agency.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
AI video of Trump kissing Elon Musk's feet was made by deep state worker 'on taxpayer dime'
An offensive AI-generated video of Donald Trump kissing Elon Musk 's feet that was played at a government building this year was created by a federal employee allegedly while they were getting taxpayer dollars. The video showing what appears to be Trump smooching the toes of Musk was featured on TV monitors in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in February. The clip, first reported by Vox, was created using AI and played on TV screens inside of the agency's cafeteria during the workday. Authorities have since identified the individual responsible, though they have not released their name as the investigation into the incident is ongoing. Now, a whistleblower has come forward to expose that the person allegedly responsible for the video was a HUD employee and union member who carried out the hack all while on taxpayer-funded union time (TFUT). The revelation that the perpetrator allegedly carried out the stint while getting paid was first revealed to Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. Ernst sent a letter to HUD Sec. Scott Turner on Thursday demanding he investigate the incident, which was reportedly carried out by a senior official at the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 476 - the largest union for federal workers. 'Reports of union bosses playing childish games and illegally engaging in partisan political activity while on the taxpayers' dime are the latest in a string of concerning allegations against HUD employees in recent years,' Ernst wrote. 'From bureaucrats relaxing on the beach or sitting in a jail cell while on the clock, the agency has been the poster child for why taxpayer-funded union time needs to end.' The Iowa Republican also notes in her letter that the hack at HUD is 'potentially illegal.' In a statement to the Daily Mail, AFGE Local 476 President Dr. Ashaki Robinson denied the union had any involvement with the AI-generated video. 'AFGE Local 476 unequivocally denies any involvement in the production or dissemination of the AI video featuring President Trump and Elon Musk.' 'This baseless allegation is another transparent attempt to attack and retaliate against AFGE for engaging lawful activity to advocate for our members and federal employees nationwide,' he continued. Federal employee unions are not able to negotiate salaries and benefits, which instead are determined by law, but they are able to advocate for other workplace issues. These union members, however, are allowed to collect taxpayer-funded paychecks while on the clock doing union-related activity, like negotiating for members. The Office of Personnel Management reported in FY2019 that over $160 million was doled out to federal workers for union work. Earlier this year the White House released new guidance on TFUT stating it may only be authorized 'in amounts that are reasonable, necessary, and in the public interest.' The memo also noted how agency's must 'monitor its use to see that it is used efficiently.' Ernst has long railed against taxpayers being on the hook to pay for union-related activities. Earlier this year she and Rep. Scott Franklin, R-Fla., reintroduced the Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Transparency Act to require additional disclosures from federal agencies outlining how TFUT is spent.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tiny home project in Jackson delayed
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – A project dedicated to addressing the influx of homelessness in Jackson has been delayed. In 2023, the city issued a proposal requested for the development of a 30-unit tiny home village on Capers Avenue in West Jackson. The Jackson Resource Center (JRC) needed funding to build the homes and for other resources. The center requested $950,000 to develop the original community, and the development budget totaled a little more than $1 million. The City Council voted in favor of the project. Neighbor saves Mississippi man's life after tree pins him on tractor Since approval, the City and JRC have worked with HUD to draft a compliant Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). However, JRC repeatedly altered its plans—doubling costs, expanding to 80 units, purchasing modular homes from China at significantly larger sizes, and proposing rental use—changes far beyond the scope of the original RFP, and created additional HUD compliance issues. City of Jackson In May 2025, the city offered JRCA an MOU with $1,086,440 in funding and access to additional grants, if needed. 'We have not yet signed that contract. We did get a preliminary MOU about two weeks ago. That is for little less than half of the money that was allocated or approved by the City Council. We do have $2 million that is basically sitting in the bank from Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas that we've signed contract on. Time is running out on that money, and we're just waiting, honestly, to see where the other $2.8 is going to come from,' said Putalamus White, executive director of the JRC. She hopes the newly elected city government understands the importance of the project to help homeless individuals get back on their feet. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Cyberpunk behind HUD AI video of Trump kissing Musk's feet was on taxpayer-funded union time: whistleblower
The cyberpunk who hacked into the television system at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in February to display a vile, AI-generated video of President Trump kissing the feet of Elon Musk breached the department during taxpayer-funded union time, a whistleblower has alleged. The hacker — whose name has not been made public because the matter is still under investigation — was identified by the feds earlier this year as a high-ranking official at the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 476, a union that represents HUD and other government workers, the whistleblower told Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). 'Reports of union bosses playing childish games and illegally engaging in partisan political activity while on the taxpayers' dime are the latest in a string of concerning allegations against HUD employees in recent years,' Ernst told The Post. 'From bureaucrats relaxing on the beach or sitting in a jail cell while on the clock, the agency has been the poster child for why taxpayer-funded union time needs to end.' AFGE Local 476 President Dr. Ashaki Robinson said Thursday the union 'unequivocally denies any involvement in the production or dissemination of the AI video featuring President Trump and Elon Musk.' 4 The gross video was displayed during a hack of the Department of Housing and Urban Development's TV systems in February. 'This baseless allegation is another transparent attempt to attack and retaliate against AFGE for engaging lawful activity to advocate for our members and federal employees nationwide,' Robinson told The Post. 'Official time amounts are negotiated and determined by both the agency and the union, and by law can only be used for employee representational matters, not for political purposes or internal union business.' Ernst, who helms the Senate DOGE Caucus, relayed the whistleblower accusations in a Thursday letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner. 'This improper access to the HUD computer system was not only childish and unprofessional, but also potentially illegal,' the Republican noted in the letter obtained by The Post. 4 At the time, liberal critics accused Elon Musk of being a shadow president. The revolting clip of an artificial Trump caressing an artificial Musk's feet played on the television sets in a cafeteria at HUD headquarters with the message 'LONG LIVE THE REAL KING.' The breach occurred at the height of criticism of the Tesla and SpaceX boss for his work at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 'HUD is exploring how to reform the expansive and oftentimes abused flexibility inherent in taxpayer-funded union time,' a HUD spokesperson told The Post. 'It is egregious [that] the American taxpayer is on the hook for subsidizing the paychecks of union workers while these nefarious actions take place. 'The Department will continue to work with leaders like Senator Ernst to return HUD to its mission-minded focus and stop the wasteful abuse of taxpayer dollars.' 4 The AI video had been put on TVs across the Department of Housing and Urban Development's headquarters. Ernst has been a fierce critic of taxpayer-funded union time, a practice by which government employees are able engage in labor activity during working hours. Government unions are precluded from negotiating pay and benefits, which are set by law, but they can bargain over other workplace issues. 'I think that these unions get away with things that taxpayers wouldn't even believe,' conservative political commentator Mary Katharine Ham, an adviser for the Public Labor Union Accountability Committee, told The Post. 'The idea that we pay for federal unions, not just for their salaries, but to use their salaries to do union work when they should be doing what we pay them to do is wild.' Ernst has blasted out requests to 24 government agencies demanding data on taxpayer-funded union time and has pushed for legislation to end the practice. 4 Sen. Joni Ernst has been critical of taxpayer-funded union time. Getty Images for 137 Ventures/Founders Fund/Jacob Helberg The last time comprehensive data on the topic was published was in 2019, when the Office of Personnel Management found that $135 million had been used on taxpayer-funded union time across the government. While federal workers are not prohibited from engaging in advocacy on policy issues, the Hatch Act restricts executive branch employees from participating in rallies or soliciting donations for political campaigns during work. Examples of political activity by HUD employees include participation in events or other activities featuring nearly a dozen Democratic lawmakers like Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) and more. 'This raises potential Hatch Act violations. These too should be investigated. If union representatives attended the rally while on [taxpayer-funded union time], as alleged, it is possible they did so in violation of federal law,' Ernst wrote. Additionally, Ernst asked for HUD to look into whether employees have been 'misusing their government travel.'
