Social Security's acting leader faces calls to resign over decision to cut Maine contracts

WASHINGTON – The Social Security Administration's acting commissioner is facing calls to resign aft helium issued an bid — which was rapidly rescinded — that would person required Maine parents to registry their newborns for Social Security numbers astatine a national bureau alternatively than the hospital.

Newly unearthed emails amusement that the March 5 determination was made arsenic governmental payback to Maine's Governor Janet Mills, who has defied the Trump administration’s push to contradict national funding to the authorities implicit transgender athletes.

In the email addressed to the agency's staff, acting commissioner Leland Dudek, said, “no wealth volition spell from the nationalist spot to a petulant child.” Staff members warned that terminating the contracts would effect successful improper payments and the imaginable for individuality theft.

Dudek's bid initially drew wide condemnation from aesculapian organizations and nationalist officials, who described it arsenic unnecessary and punitive. The signifier of allowing parents to registry a newborn for a Social Security fig astatine a infirmary oregon different birthing site, called the Enumeration astatine Birth program, has been communal for decades.

Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree, 1 of 2 House members from Maine, said Dudek should resign immediately. She characterized Dudek’s actions arsenic retaliation for Mills publically opposing President Donald Trump.

“If a national bureau tin beryllium turned into a governmental deed squad astatine the whim of an acting appointee, what checks stay connected enforcement power? Commissioner Dudek’s vindictive actions against Maine correspond a cardinal betrayal of nationalist spot that disqualifies him from nationalist service,” Pingree said.

Mills said Wednesday that Social Security is being subjected to “rushed and reckless cuts” and needs enactment that treats it similar a nationalist trust. She said that is particularly important successful Maine, which has a precocious fig of recipients.

“Social Security is not a scheme, arsenic immoderate person said, it’s a covenant betwixt our authorities and its people. The Social Security Administration’s enactment indispensable enactment successful a mode that reflects this solemn obligation,” Mills said.

Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., ranking subordinate of the House Oversight Committee, sent a missive to Dudek connected Tuesday, calling for his contiguous resignation and a petition that helium beryllium for an interrogation with the committee.

“The American radical merit answers astir your activities and communications successful the clip betwixt President Trump’s February 21, 2025, nationalist menace to Governor Mills and your February 27, 2025, bid to cancel the enumeration astatine commencement and physics decease registration contracts with the authorities of Maine, and astir your cognition that cancelling these contracts would pb to accrued waste, fraud, and abuse," Connolly said successful his letter.

Connolly, successful a missive connected Tuesday, said Democrats connected the House oversight committee obtained interior emails from the Social Security Administration that helium says shows Dudek cancelled the contracts to retaliate politically against Maine.

A typical from the Social Security Administration did not instantly respond to an Associated Press petition for comment.

Dudek connected a March 18th telephone with reporters to preview the agency's tighter identity-proofing measures, initially said the cancellation of the Maine declaration happened “because I screwed up,” adding that helium believed that the declaration looked strange. “I made the incorrect determination there. I should ever inquire my unit for guidance first, earlier I cancel something. I’m caller astatine this job."

He added, "Well, I was upset astatine the governor’s treatment, and I indicated successful email arsenic such, but the existent information of the substance was it looked similar a unusual contract.”

“I'm not funny successful governmental retaliation. I’m funny successful serving the public.”

Maine has been the taxable of national investigations since Gov. Mills sparked the ire of Trump astatine a gathering of governors astatine the White House successful February. During the meeting, Trump threatened to propulsion national backing from Maine if the authorities does not comply with his enforcement bid barring transgender athletes from sports.

Mills responded: “We’ll spot you successful court.”

The Trump medication past opened investigations into whether Maine violated the Title IX antidiscrimination instrumentality by allowing transgender athletes to enactment successful girls' sports. The Education Department issued a last informing connected Monday that the authorities could look Justice Department enforcement soon if it doesn't travel into compliance soon.

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Whittle reported from Scarborough, Maine.

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