# Cal DOGE

> California Department of Government Efficiency — Uncovering fraud, waste, and abuse in California to help make our state Califordable.

## About
Cal DOGE is a non-partisan organization that investigates government waste, fraud, and abuse across California state and local agencies. Led by Director Jenny Rae Le Roux, the organization publishes detailed, evidence-backed investigations with supporting documents ("receipts"), red flag analyses, and full narrative reports. Cal DOGE relies on a volunteer network of citizens, researchers, and analysts across California to surface tips and conduct investigations.

## Mission
Cal DOGE's mission is to make California government more efficient, transparent, and accountable to taxpayers. The organization identifies misuse of public funds, conflicts of interest, and failures of oversight at the state and local level.

## Key Pages
- [Home](https://caldoge.ai/) — Featured investigation, articles, and all investigations listing
- [About](https://caldoge.ai/about) — Mission, leadership team, advisory board, and organization history
- [Press](https://caldoge.ai/press) — Media coverage, press mentions, and media inquiry form
- [Submit a Tip](https://caldoge.ai/report) — Anonymous fraud, waste, and abuse reporting form (identity-protected)
- [Volunteer](https://caldoge.ai/volunteer) — Join the Cal DOGE volunteer investigator network
- [Tips](https://caldoge.ai/tips) — Information about the tip submission process

## Current Investigations

### SOMAH, GRID Alternatives, and CEJA — $1 Billion Solar Program
California's $1 Billion Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) program was sold as a way to cut electricity bills for low-income renters. But the organization coordinating community outreach (GRID Alternatives) has a sister political arm (CEJA — California Environmental Justice Alliance) that endorses candidates and mobilizes voters in the same communities where the solar panels go up. Cal DOGE's investigation exposes how public utility ratepayer funds flow through a network of nonprofits with overlapping boards and political agendas.
- **Public Money at Stake:** $1 Billion
- [Investigation Overview](https://caldoge.ai/investigations/somah-solar-program)
- [The Receipts (Evidence)](https://caldoge.ai/investigations/somah-solar-program/receipts)
- [Full Report](https://caldoge.ai/investigations/somah-solar-program/report)

### Elevate Youth Cannabis Tax Misuse — $370M Diverted
$370 million in California cannabis tax revenue, designated by voters for youth substance abuse prevention under Proposition 64, was instead directed to political organizing, voter registration, and activist training. The findings have prompted a federal complaint. This investigation was powered by Rhetor.ai analysis.
- **Public Money at Stake:** $370.25 Million
- [Investigation Overview](https://caldoge.ai/investigations/elevate-youth-california-cannabis-tax-heist)

### Elevate Youth California Exposed — Receipts & Evidence
Deep-dive into the Elevate Youth California program with full receipts showing how cannabis tax money labeled "substance abuse prevention" funded activism training, voter mobilization, and political organizing instead of youth programs.
- **Public Money at Stake:** $370.25 Million
- [Investigation Overview](https://caldoge.ai/investigations/elevate-youth)
- [The Receipts (Evidence)](https://caldoge.ai/investigations/elevate-youth/receipts)
- [Full Report](https://caldoge.ai/investigations/elevate-youth/report)

## Investigation Methodology
Each Cal DOGE investigation follows a structured format:
1. **Summary** — Overview with public money at stake and key findings
2. **The Receipts** — Evidence broken into four sections: The Lie (official claims), The Reality (what actually happened), Your Money (dollars involved), The Verdict (conclusion)
3. **Red Flags** — Individual findings with severity ratings (critical, high, medium, low) and supporting evidence
4. **Full Report** — Detailed narrative report with source citations and document links
5. **Supporting Articles** — Follow-up reporting and analysis

## Leadership
- **Jenny Rae Le Roux** — Director. Business owner, author, Columbia MBA, former management consultant.
- **Michael Koslow** — Lead: Identifying Fraud, Waste, Abuse, and Corruption. Retired senior military leader and former federal law enforcement official.
- **Paul Miner** — Lead: Government Reform. Attorney and former Director of the California Performance Review.
- **Amy Reichart** — Lead: Special Investigations. Founder of ReOpen San Diego.

## Advisory Board
- Jeremy Jones (Co-founder of Rhetor, creator of DOGEai)
- Congressman Kevin Kiley (U.S. Representative)
- Dan Kolkey (Former California Court of Appeal Justice)
- Senator Tony Strickland (California State Senator)

## How to Report Fraud
Citizens can submit anonymous tips about government fraud, waste, or abuse at https://caldoge.ai/report. Tips are scored, clustered, and assigned to volunteer investigators for follow-up. Reporter identity is protected.

## Contact
- Website: https://caldoge.ai
- Media inquiries: https://caldoge.ai/press#media-inquiry
- Volunteer: https://caldoge.ai/volunteer

## Legal
- [Privacy Policy](https://caldoge.ai/privacy)
- [California Privacy Rights (CCPA)](https://caldoge.ai/california-privacy)
- [Terms of Service](https://caldoge.ai/terms)
- [Accessibility](https://caldoge.ai/accessibility)