State attorneys general have raised significant concerns over Elon Musk's influence, sounding alarms about power that they argue should only be exercised by a government officer nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The controversy has spawned approximately 20 lawsuits in various federal courts, resulting in a range of outcomes. Central to the legal battle is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established by former President Trump, and its access to federal information systems.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan recently denied a motion to bar DOGE from accessing systems at several federal departments, including Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services, despite claims that DOGE itself lacks congressional authorization. The lawsuit, filed by over a dozen states and announced by attorneys general from New Mexico, Michigan, and Arizona, accuses Musk’s team of unlawful data access and an attempt to purge the federal workforce of 2.3 million employees.
"Legitimately call into question what appears to be the unchecked authority of an unelected individual and an entity that was not created by Congress and over which it has no oversight." – Judge Tanya Chutkan
The states allege that DOGE has overstepped its bounds, firing federal employees or placing them on leave without proper authority. Lawyers representing the attorneys general and the White House have yet to comment on these allegations. Meanwhile, U.S. District Judge John Bates declined a request to temporarily block DOGE's access to records at key departments, further complicating the ongoing legal struggle.
In contrast, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in New York extended a temporary block preventing DOGE from accessing Treasury systems responsible for handling trillions of dollars in payments. This decision underscores the varied judicial responses to the lawsuits challenging Musk's authority and the reach of DOGE.
An attorney for the administration informed Judge Chutkan on February 14 that there was no confirmation of mass government layoffs, a claim central to the lawsuit's argument against Musk's team. The DOGE initiative was created with the intention of rooting out perceived wasteful spending as part of a broader governmental overhaul.
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