A federal judge has ruled against immediately blocking billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing government data systems or participating in worker layoffs. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan determined that while there are concerns about Musk's authority, there is not enough evidence of significant legal harm to warrant a temporary restraining order.
The lawsuit, filed by 14 Democratic states, challenges DOGE’s authority to access sensitive government data. The attorneys general argue that Musk is wielding power that should be held only by elected or Senate-confirmed officials. The Trump administration contends that layoffs are under the purview of agency heads and that Musk is not directly managing DOGE's day-to-day operations.
DOGE, with approval from President Donald Trump, has been delving into various agency computer systems to identify waste, fraud, and abuse. Despite growing legal challenges alleging violations of the law, Chutkan acknowledged the states' concerns about the uncertainty and confusion caused by DOGE's actions.
While recognizing the legitimacy of the states' questions regarding Musk's authority and lack of congressional oversight for DOGE, Chutkan emphasized that the impact of DOGE's work on the states remains unclear. She noted that judicial orders can only address specific immediate harms.
The lawsuit seeks to prevent DOGE from accessing data from the federal Office of Personnel Management and several departments, including Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, Energy, Transportation, and Commerce. In related cases, judges in Washington have declined to block DOGE's access to agency systems, while a judge in New York has temporarily halted DOGE's access to Treasury Department data.
