Republican lawmaker Jeff Crank speaks to KRDO13 about new Trump admin policies
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - On Tuesday, KRDO13 sat down with Representative Jeff Crank (R) to learn more about his thoughts on the latest proposals and changes coming out of the White House.
DOGE and Nationwide Protests
This week protesters took to the streets across the nation for what they called, "Not My Presidents' Day." Others, like one in Boston, protested under "No Kings on Presidents' Day", speaking out about President Trump and Elon Musk, and what protestors call government overreach.
"Elon Musk has been brought in to take a machete basically to the agencies in the government," said Dennis Maun, a protester in Canon City. "He's accessing sensitive personal data about Americans that he has no right to. They are slashing."
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is currently trying to get ahold of IRS taxpayer information, sources told CNN. Many have brought up concerns over data security as his department seeks access to more and more American information.
However, Musk maintains DOGE is eliminating wasteful programs and saving taxpayer dollars as he continues to make cuts. This month, the agency toted several projects slashed, including what they say was a contract for "Asia Pacific - Sri Lanka climate change mitigation adaption and resilience coordinator services for forest service" and a workshop for "intercultural communication diversity dialogue circle communicating across differences.”
Also today, the Department Of Education terminated 89 contracts worth $881mm.
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 11, 2025
One contractor was paid $1.5mm to “observe mailing and clerical operations” at a mail center.” https://t.co/VaAw1vNAoa
"The bottom line is we all ought to be opposed to waste, fraud, and abuse, whether it's in the Department of Defense or another federal agency somewhere," said Representative Jeff Crank (R). "President Obama rescinded some money that he thought was waste, fraud, and abuse. I don't quite remember the the outcry over that. Many people are trying to make Elon Musk now the center of attention."
Critics have continued to raise alarm over conflicts of interest Musk faces as a leading business tycoon who has now become intertwined with American policy.
Eliminating the Department of Education
President Trump has made it another priority to dismantle or eliminate the federal Department of Education.
President Trump has previously said the agency was filled with "radical Zealots and Marxists," according to the New York Times.
However, the department does not dictate school curriculum, as that lies at the state and district level.
According to ABC News, by far the department is instead responsible for overseeing federal student loans and funding programs for low-income and special needs students.
"Well, first and foremost, we need to protect special needs kids and we can educate those kids," said Representative Crank. "We didn't need a federal Department of Education in the 1960s and 70s to educate special needs kids. We don't need it now."
While President Trump remains steadfast on his mission to make changes, other lawmakers have suggested transferring its duties to other federal departments, according to ABC News; for example, transferring oversight on federal student loans to the treasury department.
Representative Crank said he'd like to see funding that would ordinarily go to the Department of Education head straight to the hands of states through block grants for them to disperse to schools.
In the meantime, shutting down the Department of Education would require an act of Congress. Representative Crank is a cosponsor of a bill that has been introduced to eliminate the department.
Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.
