Congressman Krishnamoorthi Denounces DOGE’s Rehiring Of Staffer Who Authored Racist Social Media Posts Including “Normalize Indian Hate”

SCHAUMBURG, IL – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi issued the statement below in response to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) rehiring Marko Elez, a staffer who resigned on Thursday in response to a Wall Street Journal article which exposed Elez’s history of hateful social media comments that he made as recently as last year, including ‘Normalize Indian hate,’ as well as ‘99% of Indian H1Bs will be replaced by slightly smarter LLMs, they’re going back don’t worry guys,’ and ‘Just for the record, I was racist before it was cool.’ On Friday, DOGE leader Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance posted messages in support of Marko’s rehiring with Musk ultimately announcing his reinstatement. 

“There should be no place for racism and hate in our government, within the Department of Government Efficiency, or any other agency, office, or entity. It is appalling that the Vice President of the United States and one of the president’s most prominent advisors would rally behind the rehiring of someone who rightly resigned his post upon the revelation of his authorship of social media comments as bigoted as ‘Normalize Indian Hate’ as recently as five months ago. Elon Musk and the Vice President each invoked the need for forgiveness in their support for Marko Elez’s return to DOGE, but true forgiveness can only come when it is sought, when remorse is shown, and when the genuine desire to make amends is demonstrated. 

I am not aware of Mr. Elez taking any of those steps, or of his supporters calling for him to renounce the hateful views he so recently espoused online. Our society should readily embrace a commitment to forgiveness, but it must also come with a spirit of contrition and the wholesale rejection of bigotry against any community. Mr. Elez’s apologists readily dismiss his hateful comments as those of a ‘kid’ despite his position in government entrusting him with significant responsibility to those he is supposed to serve, including the millions of Indian Americans against whom he sought to amplify hate. The Trump Administration and DOGE should hold themselves to a higher standard, and so should our entire nation.”