In today's newsletter: Budget experts question the pace and scale of DOGE's methods of cutting government waste. A measles outbreak in rural West Texas keeps growing. And how to watch the "Saturday Night Live" 50th anniversary special this weekend.

Here's what to know today.

Allegations of waste, fraud and abuse in federal spending aren’t new. For decades, government watchdogs and budget oversight experts have been trying to get someone — anyone — to listen to their calls for change. Many were cautiously optimistic when President Donald Trump empowered Elon Musk to bring improper spending under control.

But in interviews with half a dozen of these watchdogs, most said the breakneck pace of upheaval of federal agencies isn’t what they had in mind. According to them, Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has needlessly politicized the issue and could make it harder to enact the real changes needed to root out improper spending.

“The examples they’re bringing are silly, made-for-TV read meat, made for people to be amazed and horrified and shocked,” said fraud prevention expert Linda Miller, a former senior staff member for Congress’ independent Government Accountability Office during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations. The DOGE website has largely highlighted the elimination of “wasteful contracts” related to DEI, climate change, consulting and the media.

One thing that Miller and other oversight experts agree needs improvement is the government’s “Do Not Pay” system to check whether people are deceased or barred from receiving federal payments. The Government Accountability Office said that in 2023, the federal government made an estimated $236 billion in improper payments, which included those that were higher or lower than they should have been. Even Musk has posted on X about how the system needs to change.

At a House oversight hearing this week, expert witnesses also proposed improving tracking and reporting requirements for federal spending and strengthening identity and asset verification, pointing to massive fraud in Covid relief programs.

But there’s an important distinction between potential criminal activity and the far broader, inherently category of waste — and that difference has gotten muddied in the past few weeks, experts said. Some fear the actions taken so far by the Trump administration and Musk could backfire.

Read the full story here.

More Trump administration and politics news:

Measles outbreak grows in West Texas

The number of confirmed cases of measles in a rural West Texas area has risen to 49 as of Friday, up from 24 earlier in the week, the state health department said, as an outbreak sweeps through the area with no end in sight. Texas health officials believe the figure represents just a small fraction of those who are infected with the vaccine-preventable illness. In fact, they estimate that 200 to 300 people in West Texas are infected but untested. Gaines County, which accounts for the majority of the confirmed cases, had one of the state’s highest vaccine exemption rates during the 2023-24 school year, according to health department data.

As state health officials try to get a handle on the outbreak, there are fears that the virus could spread to nearby communities, including Lubbock, “hub” city where people in Gaines County regularly travel to to shop at big grocery and big box stores. Yesterday afternoon, Lubbock Public Health confirmed its first case. Without widespread vaccination, experts say, the outbreak could go on for months.

Man accepts plea deal in wrong-door shooting of Black teen Ralph Yarl

Andrew Lester, the 86-year-old white man charged with shooting Black teenager Ralph Yarl in the head after Yarl mistakenly rang his doorbell, faces up to seven years in jail after he accepted a plea deal yesterday, prosecutors said. While one prosecutor said the outcome “ensures accountability” for Lester and “provides closure” to Yarl, the teen's family expressed frustration with the deal.

Lester, who will be sentenced on March 7, was charged with a felony count of first-degree assault and armed criminal action after he fired multiple shots at Yarl, grazing him in the head and striking him in the arm. Lester told police that he fired his gun because he was scared.

Yarl’s family said the plea deal does not erase the trauma the boy and the family endured, nor does it address perceived failures in the justice system, including racial bias. Members of Yarl’s family said they had little trust in the Clay County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office because they believed it had not worked aggressively enough for conviction.

How to watch the 'SNL' 50th anniversary special

Live from New York, it’s a nostalgic celebration of “Saturday Night Live”! The 50th anniversary special of the NBC variety show and pop culture staple airs not on Saturday night, as you might assume, but on Sunday afternoon at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Red carpet coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET and will be available on “SNL” social and digital platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.

Expect a blend of current cast members and legendary alumni, including Adam Sandler, Jimmy Fallon, Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph. Plus, four of the surviving original cast members — Chevy Chase, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman — are expected to return. Here’s what else to know.

A jet belonging to the lead singer of which 1980s band was involved in an Arizona crash?

A. Whitesnake
B. Def Leppard
C. Mötley Crüe
D. Poison

Find out the answer and test your knowledge of this week's most-read stories. (The answer to the question is also at the bottom of this newsletter.)

Sikh communities on edge over threat of immigration raids

Dozens of religious groups have sued the Trump administration over the past few weeks after the removal of restrictions that prevented ICE from conducting raids in places considered “sensitive” locations. Among the groups suing was a Sikh temple in California, the Gurdwara Sahib West Sacramento.

I spoke to members of the Sikh community across the U.S., who are largely of Indian descent. They have already seen how anxieties around being caught up in the ongoing immigration crackdown have impeded how some, including naturalized citizens, practice their faith. One organizer told me that many in the Sikh community already experienced persecution in India. “Now those very same people are worried about their safety on U.S. soil, and also now are worried about this added risk to their immigration status," said Harman Singh, executive director of civil rights nonprofit the Sikh Coalition.

— Kimmy Yam, NBC Asian America reporter

Presidents' Day is this weekend, and the NBC Select team found the best sales and deals to shop in furniture, clothing, home goods and more. Plus, here's what to know before buying a mattress online.

Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown. Today's newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson.

By the way, the answer to the quiz question above is C. Mötley Crüe.

If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send us an email at: MorningRundown@nbcuni.com

If you're a fan, please forward it to your family and friends. They can sign up here.