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(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Justice is preparing for Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to begin working with the agency to identify “cost-cutting” measures, with Attorney General Pam Bondi this week establishing an internal DOJ team to help facilitate the review of the nation’s top law enforcement divisions, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

In an email to DOJ division leaders on Wednesday, Assistant Attorney General Jolene Ann Lauria announced the formation of a “JUST DOGE” team, which will work with White House officials and “DOGE counterparts” to identify “savings and cost-cutting measures” within the department, according to a copy of the email reviewed by ABC News.

The “JUST DOGE” team, formed earlier this week by the attorney general, is solely made up of senior DOJ officials, including “co-leads” AAG Lauria, Associate Deputy Attorney General James McHenry, Counselor to the Attorney General Sean Day and Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General Vetan Kapoor.

According to the email, the new team will oversee the internal budget reviews and identify potential efficiencies at the Justice Department — efforts that Musk’s own DOGE personnel have spearheaded at other federal agencies.

“The JUST-DOGE team will lead directed reviews and identify cost savings and other potential efficiencies in DOJ’s budget,” the email read.

A Justice Department spokesperson told ABC News, “President Trump and Elon Musk are doing historic work to identify and eliminate wasteful spending on behalf of American taxpayers, and JUST DOGE will advance this mission at the DOJ in order to ensure the Department’s resources are best utilized to Make America Safe Again.”

Besides leadership, key roles on the “JUST DOGE” team include Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael J. Williams, who will oversee human resources; DAAG William N. Taylor II, who will be responsible for management and procurement; DAAG Christopher C. Alvarez, who will lead financial management and budgeting; and DAAG Meunda Rogers, who will head data and IT, according to the email.

The formation of the team has stirred unease among some DOJ officials who worry that Musk’s DOGE operatives could move aggressively to slash department personnel and programs, sources told ABC News. Meanwhile, others see the creation of the “JUST DOGE” team, which is composed entirely of current DOJ staff, as an attempt by department leadership to maintain control over the review process and create a buffer against Musk’s team, which has been granted broad access and power at other agencies.

Several of Musk’s DOGE representatives have been seen inside Justice Department offices in recent days, heightening concerns that the DOJ — the agency responsible for enforcing federal law — could become the next major target of Musk’s cost-cutting push.

Musk, who sources tell ABC News has been in direct contact with Bondi since joining the administration, previously joked in an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan about Biondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files in February, when she ruffled feathers in the White House by trumpeting the release of a binder of materials that contained almost no new information. Musk, who at times in the interview defended Bondi, also called the move by the attorney general “disappointing.”

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(NEW YORK) — Dangerous, heavy rain is pounding the Los Angeles area, bringing a threat of flooding and debris flow to spots impacted by the recent devastating wildfires.

The rain will fluctuate from heavy to moderate to light throughout the morning, and rates may approach 1 inch per hour on steeper terrain.

One to 2 inches of rain is expected in the LA area, with more rain possible at higher elevations.

The rain will reach San Diego on Thursday morning and will end across Southern California in the afternoon.

Over 20 million people from the Los Angeles area to the San Diego area are under a flood watch.

The greatest risk for flooding and debris flow is in burn scar areas left by wildfires.

The burn scars and mountains around San Diego — where 1 to 3 inches of rain is expected — are the greatest risk for debris flows and rockslides.

In LA County, evacuation orders and warnings were issued for some burn scar areas impacted by January’s devastating Eaton and Palisades fires, according to the sheriff’s department and the mayor’s office.

“Wireless Emergency Alerts have been sent to targeted areas in and around where the Evacuation Warnings and Orders will be in effect,” the mayor’s office said.

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(MADISON, N.J.) — The FBI is now involved in the investigation into a suspected arson earlier this month at the New Jersey home of a Bayer pharmaceutical executive, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

At approximately 7:30 a.m. on March 4, a fire was reported at an occupied, private residence in Madison, New Jersey, according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

The Madison Fire Department was able to quickly extinguish the flames and the structure “sustained no significant damage and there were no reported injuries,” according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

“The safety and security of our employees are of utmost importance to Bayer. The incident is under active investigation. We appreciate the quick response of local law enforcement,” Bayer said in a statement.

There have been no arrests related to the incident, officials said.

Bayer’s headquarters is located in nearby Hanover Township, New Jersey. The pharmaceutical company is known for products like Aleve and Alka-Seltzer.

The New York Police Department, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police and New Jersey Transit Police are also part of the investigation.

The FBI’s Newark office declined to comment about its role in investigating the fire.

This suspected arson comes at a time of heightened concern in the health care industry following the December murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Individuals mobilized by economic grievances are taking Thompson’s murder as inspiration for threats and attack plotting, expanding their target set to include government and public safety officials, according to a Homeland Security report obtained by ABC News.

“Within days of the late December murder of a health insurance CEO, we observed online threats targeting high-profile executives. In the past several weeks, some threats citing similar grievances and referencing the CEO’s murder as inspiration are now targeting federal, state and local government officials,” the document said.

A growing amount of Americans feel hostility toward prominent chief executives, with a 2023 Ipsos survey finding that more than two-thirds of Americans think the nation’s economy is rigged to the advantage of the rich and powerful.

Similarly, a 2022 Pew survey found that only 1 in 4 adults believed large businesses have a positive effect on the way things are going in the country.
 

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