Twelve Democrat attorneys general announced plans to sue the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, to prevent its access to federal payment systems containing sensitive personal information. The coalition, including New York’s Letitia James, argues that such access is unlawful and threatens essential funding for programs like Social Security and Medicare.
The attorneys general contend that President Donald Trump lacks the authority to grant DOGE access to these systems, asserting that it violates constitutional principles and endangers citizens’ privacy. They emphasized that no individual, regardless of wealth or position, is above the law, stating:
“This level of access for unauthorized individuals is unlawful, unprecedented, and unacceptable. DOGE has no authority to access this information, which they explicitly sought in order to block critical payments that millions of Americans rely on — payments that support health care, childcare, and other essential programs.”
This legal action follows a federal judge’s ruling that granted two Musk associates “read-only” access to Treasury Department payment systems, excluding Musk himself. The ruling responded to concerns from federal workers’ unions about potential privacy invasions.
President Trump appointed Musk to lead DOGE with the aim of reducing government size and eliminating waste. However, critics argue that DOGE’s recent maneuvers, including accessing sensitive taxpayer data and attempting to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development, overstep legal boundaries.
The attorneys general plan to file their lawsuit in the coming days, seeking to uphold constitutional protections and ensure the integrity of federal programs.
