Sen. Ernst, Elon, Vivek Target Federal Telework Abuses in 1st DOGE Caucus: Bureaucrats in ‘Bubble Baths’ on ‘Taxpayers’ Dime’

Federal bureaucrats are costing taxpayers billions while dodging office responsibilities, including reports of teleworking employees attending meetings from “on the beach” and while “relaxing in bubble baths,” according to a year-long investigation by Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, unveiled at the inaugural Senate DOGE Caucus meeting alongside Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, both of whom were tasked by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) is making waves today owing to the first meeting of the Senate DOGE Caucus, with the disclosure of her scathing report on federal government inefficiency and telework abuse.

The report, part of her ongoing campaign against bureaucratic waste, highlights how federal employees are neglecting responsibilities, while taxpayers foot the bill for empty office buildings and unsupervised remote work.

“Bureaucrats are playing hide-and-seek,” Ernst declared.

In an exclusive statement to Breitbart News, Sen. Ernst highlighted the urgency of restoring accountability in federal agencies.

“For years, I have been tracking down bureaucrats relaxing in bubble baths, playing golf, getting arrested, and doing just about everything besides their job,” she stated. “It would almost be funny if it wasn’t happening on the taxpayers’ dime and at the expense of veterans, seniors, small business owners, and Americans in need of competent service from government agencies.”

“Federal employees need to return to work, but if they don’t want to, I will make their wish come true,” she added.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), co-lead by prominent entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, aims to hold federal employees accountable, curb unnecessary spending, and streamline federal operations by cutting waste, reducing bureaucracy, and slashing regulations as part of Trump’s “Save America” agenda.

Ernst’s investigation, spanning a year and a half, uncovers startling statistics:

• Federal telework surged from 3% pre-pandemic to nearly 30% of employees now working entirely remotely.
• Office space utilization in Washington averages just 12%, with billions spent annually on maintenance, energy, and unused furnishings.
• Public services suffer, as veterans’ calls for mental health care go unanswered and crucial baby formula safety warnings are delayed due to staffing gaps.

The findings call attention to instances of paycheck fraud, with teleworking employees claiming inflated locality pay by living far from their assigned offices. Some employees, Ernst found, were logging in from over 2,000 miles away while collecting higher salaries meant for workers in more expensive regions.

The Iowa Senator proposed several measures to reform the bloated federal bureaucracy that burdens taxpayers:

1. Relocating federal offices to areas better aligned with their missions, cutting costs and increasing accountability.
2. Selling off unused office space, including over 7,000 vacant government buildings.
3. Implementing stricter telework policies, tracking employee performance and location with modern tools like VPN logins and office swipe-ins.
4. Ensuring telework agreements prioritize taxpayer needs over convenience for government employees.

Sen. Ernst has long advocated for cutting federal waste while ensuring government accountability.

Last year, she urged the relocation of taxpayer-funded government buildings from President Joe Biden’s “D.C. swamp” to the “heartland” — where they can be “more accountable to the hardworking Americans” there. 

Her Government Accountability Office (GAO) report revealed that most federal offices are largely vacant due to widespread teleworking among federal employees.

She also successfully introduced a bill amendment reducing pay for bureaucrats based on their telework extent and remote work locations. She also demanded a probe into remote work’s impact on productivity earlier in September.

Previously, she announced a reform package in an effort to hold the “entrenched federal bureaucracy” accountable, “drain the swamp,” and “cut red tape.”

The package of solutions includes bringing decision-making “closer to the American people and mak[ing] government responsive to the real needs of Americans” through the SWAMP Act she introduced.

Through support for the Stopping Home Office Work’s Unproductive Problems (SHOW UP) Act, she is also seeking to require federal bureaucrats “‘teleworking’ on the taxpayer’s dime” to “show up for work,” demanding investigations into their “abuse” of remote “work.”

Ernst has also called for the closure of the recently renovated Nancy Pelosi Federal Building in Democrat-run San Francisco, citing severe public safety concerns from a spike in crime and drug activity in the area and describing the “haunted house” as a “far-left failure” and “symbol” of government dysfunction.

The unsafe conditions, highlighted by an alarming number of overdoses and violent incidents near the facility, led the Department of Health and Human Services to advise employees against coming to the office.

With recent elections ushering in a Republican majority, she is now urging the incoming Republican-controlled Congress to prioritize and pass her proposed legislation to eliminate waste, downsize bureaucracy, and hold federal agencies accountable.

Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.