In the immediate aftermath of Trump's Presidential inauguration, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was hit with lawsuits alleging violations of federal transparency and ethics laws.
The lawsuit, brought by the American Public Health Association, American Federation of Teachers, Minority Veterans of America, VoteVets Action Fund, Center for Auto Safety, and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)—represented by Democracy Forward and CREW—alleges that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is violating the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), according to Citizens for Ethics.
The plaintiffs are seeking a court ruling to declare DOGE's creation illegal and compel it to adhere to FACA's requirements for transparency, ethics, recordkeeping, and balanced representation.
DOGE is a new advisory committee led by Elon Musk, who has pledged to find ways to improve efficiency throughout the federal government and find ways to recommend $2 trillion in budget reductions, according to Business Insider.
"Currently, DOGE is operating unchecked, without authorization or funding from Congress and is led by unelected billionaires who are not representative of ordinary Americans," CREW stated. "DOGE representatives have reportedly already been speaking with agency officials throughout the federal government, and communication is allegedly taking place on Signal, a messaging app known for its auto-delete features."
CREW goes on to state that FACA has requirements regarding the creation of advisory committees and how they conduct their business. For example, such committees are required to have a balanced membership, have a clear charter that outlines the committees mission and scope, and have meetings open to the public.
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