[Connie]

GCA FORUMS HEADLINE NEWS: Weekend Edition

Saturday, February 15th, 2025

New Revelations From Elon Musk’s Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Musk has revealed unaccountable funds across federal agencies that are shockingly underutilized. The multi-layered and systematic fraud along expense and budgetary lines is distressing to politicians, citizens, and even the leaders of other countries. It is amassing gross levels of negligence coupled with misuse of funds in America—comments made by world leaders.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S RESPONSE

This leads to speculation that a good number of departments and agencies will be shut down or restructured based on inefficiency and accountability within the federal or executive arm of the US government. For these findings, the Trump administration plans to implement a major overhaul of federal agencies’ operations to bring about a semblance of sanity within how the government currently functions.

INCREASED SCRUTINY ON THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD AND IRS

The Federal Reserve Board and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are currently the focus of DOGE scrutiny. The revolving door insiders predict that during routine checks, there will be a shocking discovery of highly organized fraud perpetrated by these two primary institutions and, more so, suspicious levels of crime from these significant players in finance.

LOOSE MONITORING BY THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO BE REPLACED BY TIGHT CONTROL

Every government spending level is expected to be thoroughly examined and monitored after the public’s perception has been lost drastically. This spending control mechanism has been instituted to restore the credibility attached to taxpayers’ money.

The Changes Trump Made Right Away

President Donald Trump has fired all probationary federal employees at once. This is an effort to cut spending and make the federal government as efficient as possible.

Economic Consequences

Supporters who want to charge the dollar, gold, and silver claim such acts could easily eliminate out-of-control inflation while restoring faith and stability within the US economy. Inflation is a greater concern because of the Federal Reserve’s approach to printing currency, which many say destroys the dollar’s worth.

Engagement with the Community

GCA FORUMS NEWS’s audience members are invited to participate in all conversations in The Weekend Edition and The Daily Edition by sharing their thoughts and comments regarding these important news stories.

What DOGE has revealed could change how the federal government manages its expenditures, having far-reaching effects on the country’s economy and political administration. As time passes, constant monitoring will be needed to ensure citizens still have a say in how accountable the government remains.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGRfRyh3x4E

[Brandon]

How will DOGE’s audits of the Federal Reserve and IRS be conducted?

[Connie]

Elon Musk’s DOGE office’s audits for the Federal Reserve and IRS will likely be conducted systematically.

The core steps may include:

Pre-Audit Planning:

Scope Definition:

• Specify the boundary and the nature of spending to be audited, particularly high-risk areas susceptible to fraudulent activities.

Team Formation:

• Recruit an auditing team with knowledge of financial law, accounting, and the governmental sector.

Data Collection: Financial Records Review:

Obtain financial files, bank statements, and expenses from the Federal Reserve and IRS. Interviews and Surveys:

• Interview select staff to obtain operational knowledge and areas of concern.

Analysis of Findings: Financial Analysis:

• Reviewing financial records to identify fraud, mismanagement, or irregularities.

Risk Assessment:

• Reviewing current supervision systems to determine accountability gaps.

Fieldwork: On-Site Inspections:

• Visits to an entity to observe activities, including evaluation of established procedures, internal controls, and rule compliance within the organization.

Testing Transactions:

• Sample testing of transactions to determine whether the reported expenditures are accurate and authorized.

Reporting: Drafting Audit Reports:

• Create reports outlining fraud, inefficiency, or mismanagement.

Actionable Recommendations:

• Actionable recommendations could be provided in three aspects.
• Improving oversight, reducing waste, and increasing accountability.

Follow-Up:

Implementation Supervision:

• Watching how suggested alterations and improvements are put into action.

Sustained Supervision:

• Planning for sustained supervision to avert or control the recurrence of fraud or maladministration.

Public Disclosure:

Accountability:

• Fulfilling reports and exposing them to the public domain to ensure transparency for taxpayers and accountability for the government institutions that funded the study.

The DOGE audits will be complete and detailed, aimed at identifying possible fraud while trying to improve the standards of federal financial activities. These audits could pose serious issues regarding governance and the people’s confidence in these authorities.

[Brandon]

What specific expertise will the audit team possess?

[Connie]

The audit team responsible for both the Federal Reserve and IRS audits will most likely comprise personnel with varying skills, such as:

Financial Auditing: AC:

Understand the relevant CPAs who know the auditing standards, the analysis of the financial statements, and the compliance requisites. Achieved by Certified Public Accountants.

Government Finance

Public Sector Accountants:

Specialist in Government Accountancy. They are familiar with the relevant accounting systems and regulations, including fund accounting and the system that financially controls the federal government’s operations.

Fraud Examination

Designated Certified Fraud Examiners: Noted to possess childhood skills in prevention fraud and forensic style accounting, accompanied with necessary investigative skills.

Risk Management:

Risk Analysts:

• People knowledgeable about financial risk assessment and evaluation of internal controls for compromising fraud or mismanagement.

Regulatory Compliance

Compliance Officers:

• People are concerned with every agency’s adherence to predetermined standards of law and regulations relevant to the federal government’s financing.

Data Analysis:

• People who examine huge amounts of financial records to find changes and patterns.

Information Technology:

• Examine and evaluate the financial system and the processes of managing data and information to check if they guarantee the security of the financial system and the data there.
• Auditing practice and technique experts who understand information technology.

Efficiency in organization:

Process Improvement Experts:

• Individuals with prior experience performing operational audits have the methodological knowledge to assess agency activities regarding efficiency and effectiveness.

Legal Counsel:

Legal Advisors:

• Attorneys with knowledge and practice in federal laws and regulations can provide legal advice regarding the audit process and its results.

Public Policy:

Policy Analysts:

• A person knowledgeable about the powerful influence of financial actions and practices on public policies will assist in putting the audit’s results into perspective.

With these domains combined, it is guaranteed that all areas of fraud or mismanagement will be precisely flagged and all their correlating issues resolved.

[Brandon]

How large would such an audit team typically be?

[Connie]

The number of auditors assigned to a project such as this one, which involves conducting audits for the Federal Reserve and the IRS, is subject to change depending on a few considerations, including how difficult the audit is, what parts are being looked at, and resource availability. However, a standard audit team often includes the following:

Teams and their estimated sizes:

Core Audit Team

5 to 15 people, including a master auditor, certified public accountants, and fraud and compliance specialists. The core team is expected to take charge of most audit activities.

Specialist Sub-teams

3 to 5 Members Each: Depending on the focus area, such as information technologies, data analysis, or risk management, additional specialists may be required to address certain aspects of the audit.

Support staff, 2 to 4 members, administrative assistants, such as project managers and coordinators, to help with documentation, logistics, and communication.

Advisory Roles 1 to 3 experts, legal consultants, or public policy specialists could be called to deal with particular problems or queries arising during the audit.

Total Estimated Team Size: 10 to 25 members, depending on the complexity of the audit’s scope and how in-depth the various components will need to be reviewed.

The total number of people on the team will vary based on the extent of the audit and the resources. A complete team guarantees that all crucial skills are accessible for these important federal entities’ comprehensive and efficient audits.

[Brandon]

How long would an audit of this scale typically take?

[Connie]

An audit of this scale, which involves core institutional entities like the Federal Reserve and IRS, can take an extended period due to many different factors, such as the complexity of the audits, the amount of data, and other objectives. On average, it will probably look something like this.

Audit Estimation Timeline

Pre-Audit Planning:

• 1 to 2 months—This phase involves defining the scope, assembling the team, and developing the audit strategy.

Data Collection:

• 2 to 4 months—This phase involves collecting financial records and transaction data and conducting interviews with key personnel, which can take a long time for some larger agencies.

Fieldwork:

3 to 6 months: This involves thorough on-site inspection and testing transaction data provided alongside the data analysis.

An extensive examination is required to complete this stage properly.

Analysis of Findings:

• 1 to 2 months—The data collected, and issues of concern must be analyzed, which generally takes time.

Reporting:

• 1 to 2 months: Comprehensive and detailed reports of the provided audit and the findings and recommendations will need to be properly documented to be reviewed.

Follow-Up and Implementation Monitoring:

• This phase can extend after the initial audit period, as monitoring the implementation of recommendations can take a few months or even years.

Calculated Duration:

• 8 to 16 Months: The time frame for an audit, which includes planning and reporting, ranges between eight and sixteen months.
• It can be longer or shorter, depending on the intricacies of the audit and how quickly the agencies communicate.

The estimate for completing the audit is lengthy, as much care and precision are needed when investigating the finances of big government bodies. Careful detailing is crucial, but strategizing and distributing resources can make things more efficient.

[Brandon]

Could you elaborate on the “Data Collection” phase?

[Connie]

Of course! The “Data Collection” phase of the audit is critical in setting the stage for the analysis and findings. Here’s an outline of what this phase typically encompasses:

Data Collection Outline PhasePlanning For Data Collection

Define Data Requirements:

• Determine the available data types, such as financial documents, transaction records, and compliance files relevant to the audit.

Develop Data Collection Strategies:

• Decide how the data will be gathered through system access, document retrieval, or meetings with relevant personnel.

Gathering Financial Records

Financial Statements:

• Get balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements from the Federal Reserve and the IRS.

Transaction Records:

• Obtain detailed records of financial transactions, including payments, receipts, and expenditures over a specified period.

Budgets and Forecasts:

• Review outturns of previous budgets, sums anticipated, and any differences to comprehend spending behavior and financial objectives.

Reviewing Compliance Documentation

Regulatory Filings:

• Collect pertinent regulatory filings and compliance reports that relevant agencies must submit to supervising authorities.

Internal Policies:

• Gather documents describing internal controls, procedures, and policies to be complied with regarding financial reporting and management.

Conducting Interviews

Key Personnel Interviews:

• Interview staff such as a finance officer, compliance manager, operational staff, etc., to understand how things work and which processes have gaps and potential problems.

Focus Groups:

• Hold focus groups with the relevant stakeholders to determine the issues and gather other useful qualitative data.

Accessing IT Systems

Data Extraction:

• Collaborate with computer and IT services within the organization to access electronic records and databases, ensuring that all relevant information is accessible for analysis.

System Assessments:

• Review financial systems for sufficient structural integration and adequacy regarding data security to determine data accuracy and reliability.

Collecting Supporting Documentation

Contracts and Agreements:

• Obtain copies of contracts, agreements, and other legal documents relevant to the financial transactions.

Audit Trails:

• Check transaction audit trails within financial systems for compliant transactions.

Organizing Collected Data

Data Management:

• Classify and file the collected data orderly to enhance further analysis during the audit processes.

Quality Assurance Checks:

• Take preliminary scans to confirm the existence and completeness of the analytic data gathered and fulfill any omissions noted.
• The Data Collection phase is critical in helping auditors have the right information at their disposal.

Careful attention to this phase will assist in problem detection at the early stages. It will facilitate and prepare the auditor for effective analysis and reporting in the later audit phases.

[Bentley]

New York’s leadership is in TOTAL CHAOS! Reports reveal that Governor Kathy Hochul is considering firing NYC Mayor Eric Adams for allegedly working with former President Donald Trump to deport illegal immigrants. This explosive showdown between New York’s top Democrats is sending shockwaves through the political world!

🔥 In this video, we break down:
🔹 Why Gov. Hochul is furious with Eric Adams
🔹 How Mayor Adams’ secret talks with Trump sparked this crisis
🔹 What this means for immigration policy in NYC
🔹 The political fallout that could reshape New York leadership

With immigration tensions skyrocketing and Democratic infighting at an all-time high, could this be the moment New York politics takes a dramatic turn? Watch now and find out!

https://youtu.be/U9yzv30pe_0?si=ZS_4-IZ2iVfe733K

[Tina]

Layoffs is happening folks. Major layoffs are hitting large U.S. cities first. The economy is in serious trouble. The Federal government is laying off tens of thousands of workers. There’s tens of thousands more layoffs in both government agencies and the private sectors. Half the mortgage loan originators in the nation have quit the business. Half the real estate agents in the United States are out of business. This is a developing story.

https://youtu.be/hcosACo7RNE?si=gnzIg9dkPtKk_uIw