A group of federal unions has filed a lawsuit against the Treasury Department over the access granted to associates of Elon Musk to the sensitive processing system used by the federal government for making payments. The lawsuit alleges that the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code prohibit the Secretary of the Treasury from providing access to individuals' records to Elon Musk or other members of DOGE.
The complaint emphasizes that there are specific procedures and limits in place regarding access to data held by the Treasury Department's Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The lawsuit describes the intrusion into individuals' privacy as massive and unprecedented.
According to reports, a recent confrontation between a senior career employee at the Treasury Department and Musk's associates regarding their access to the payment system resulted in the employee's departure. The Treasury's payment system, traditionally a non-political function, has become a point of contention in Musk's efforts to bring about significant changes in the federal government.
Concerns have been raised that Musk may attempt to unilaterally halt government payments that he deems unlawful, based on his comments about the system. The legal challenge has been filed in a federal court in Washington, DC, adding to the existing lawsuits against the administration's proposed freeze on federal financial assistance.
The Treasury Department's press office has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the new lawsuit.
