When a new "department of government efficiency" started sending young techies to shake things up in federal agencies, not everyone was ready to play ball. Case in point: the clash between an IRS privacy chief and a Musk-appointed operative over access to sensitive immigrant data.
It all kicked off on February 13, 2025, when Gavin Kliger, a self-proclaimed "Doge person" and apparent protégé of Elon Musk, showed up at the IRS lobby demanding access to the agency's systems. Security flagged him to Traci DiMartini, head of the IRS's human capital department, who had no record of him. Turns out, Kliger had been hired three weeks prior by the Office of Personnel Management, but his unannounced arrival and demands for immediate access to taxpayer information raised serious red flags.
"None of this is normal," Traci reportedly told colleagues, noting that standard procedure required Kliger to pass a tax audit and complete ethics training before getting system access. Kliger, who reportedly sported a "chip on his shoulder" and wore all black, insisted on immediate access, a stance that baffled agency officials.
Kathleen Walters, the IRS's chief privacy officer, was then tasked with briefing Kliger on data privacy laws. Walters, who oversees a staff of 650 tasked with protecting the privacy of 266 million tax returns, found the situation absurd. Just days before, the entire federal workforce had received an email asking for weekly accomplishments, a request Walters deemed "nuts" given the sensitive nature of IRS work. She worried about employees inadvertently leaking classified info or even admitting to unauthorized peeking, which could land them in jail.
Walters, who was dealing with a recent cancer scare, was 50 miles away when Traci called. She arranged for her deputy, Phyllis Grimes, to brief Kliger. Grimes, who was Black, had already read about Kliger and was reportedly uncomfortable with the situation. She apparently "fell on the hand grenade" to handle the briefing, though her exact experience remains unclear.
Kliger's online presence painted a picture of a "Musk and Trump superfan" with disdain for government spending and immigrants, and a penchant for "racist and ableist jokes." His online activity, which he later deleted, was uncovered by Forbes writer John Hyatt using the Web.archive tool. This background only heightened concerns about his intentions and the "Doge team's" disruptive approach to federal agencies.
