Last week, two government agencies and Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Athens, issued statements refuting claims the Social Security Office in Gainesville would be closing as part of federal budget cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
In last week’s statement, Clyde accused Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia) of deceiving voters and “scaring Americans” through prior statements the senator made insinuating at least five Georgia offices would shutdown.
“Senator Warnock has peddled lies and fearmongered Georgia seniors long enough,” Clyde said in a statement on Wednesday, March 26. “Instead of proceeding with caution and confirming a shred of validity to his claims, Senator Warnock recklessly ran with potential lease savings identified by DOGE in order to score cheap political points. The Left’s obsession with vilifying President Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE is out of control. Scaring Americans — in this case, seniors — to distort the administration’s work to expose and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse is irresponsible and reeks of desperation.”
Warnock’s office responded to Clyde’s statement in an email to Now Habersham Monday, March 31.
“The sequence of events is clear: DOGE announced the closure of five Georgia Social Security offices on their own website; the senator brought public attention and caused an outcry; then DOGE backtracked, wiped their website, and claimed they were never closing entire field offices. This sad charade is nothing more than a distraction from this administration’s relentless attack on Social Security and Georgia’s seniors. The Senator will always use his voice to defend Georgia seniors and the benefits they’re owed,” Elena Radding, a spokesperson for Warnock, said.
Earlier this month, DOGE’s website indicated the Gainesville office on Thompson Bridge Road, along with four other locations in Georgia, was being considered for closure as part of a federal cost-saving initiative. DOGE also had suggested closure of the Gainesville office could result in over $1 million in savings to taxpayers.
DOGE released a statement last week insisting this is not the case.
“Social Security is not closing any field sites in Georgia or elsewhere,” DOGE posted on X, formerly Twitter. “The confusion likely arises from the closure of 5 permanent remote hearing sites (PRSs)—single rooms within field sites used for hearings. Since most hearings are now virtual, these PRSs are unnecessary. Field sites remain open, and Social Security has no plans to close any public-facing sites nationwide.”
The Social Security Administration also denied claims offices would close in a news release Thursday, March 27.
“Recent reports in the media that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is permanently closing local field offices are false,” the release said. “Since January 1, 2025, the agency has not permanently closed or announced the permanent closure of any local field office.”
In mid-March, following a protest against cuts by DOGE on the Gainesville square, Clyde would not respond to questions on whether offices would close due to federal cost-saving measures.
“SSA is committed to providing service where people need help and our local field offices are no exception,” Lee Dudek, acting commissioner of Social Security, said last week. “We have not permanently closed any local field offices this year.”
