El Paso Standard

Rep. Veronica Escobar, currently serving in the U.S. Congress representing Texas' 16th district, has shared her views on transparency and accountability within the federal government through a series of tweets. Escobar, who succeeded Beto O'Rourke in 2019, emphasized the importance of government oversight and criticized actions she perceives as undermining democratic principles.

On February 6, 2025, Rep. Escobar highlighted the role of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in promoting transparency. She noted that last year, the GAO saved $67.5 billion in financial benefits for the federal government, which equates to a return of $76 for every dollar invested in this agency. As funds are allocated, she stated that "GAO provides Congress and…" "We have the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which focuses on transparency."

In another tweet from February 6, 2025, Escobar asserted that neither former President Donald Trump nor Elon Musk have been transparent about their intentions regarding "DOGE." She expressed concern that the ultimate aim is to dismantle federal programs essential to Americans while reallocating resources towards substantial tax breaks: "Transparency is a good thing - fundamental to government."

Continuing her critique on February 6, 2025, Rep. Escobar argued against actions such as firing Inspectors General who reveal corruption within governmental operations. She described these actions by "DOGE" as unethical and illegal attacks on democracy: "I’ll tell you what DOESN’T increase transparency – firing government watchdogs who expose corruption (Inspectors General)."