The Trump administration filed a court order to vacate a federal judge’s ruling that blocked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing the Treasury Department’s payment system.
“On its face, the Order could be read to cover all political leadership within Treasury—including even Secretary Bessent. This is a remarkable intrusion on the Executive Branch that is in direct conflict with Article II of the Constitution, and the unitary structure it provides,” the memorandum to dissolve the judge’s order says. “There is not and cannot be a basis for distinguishing between ‘civil servants’ and ‘political appointees.’ Basic democratic accountability requires that every executive agency’s work be supervised by politically accountable leadership, who ultimately answer to the President.”
“At minimum, the Court should either clarify or modify its Order, so as to avoid its most direct constitutional and practical hazards.As written, the injunction is markedly overbroad,” the order adds. “There is no sound reason that it should extend to Treasury’s leadership, who are charged with overseeing and administering the Department without interruption.”
American Faith reported that U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer granted a temporary restraining order on Saturday following a lawsuit filed by attorneys general from 19 states, including New York, California, and Illinois. The lawsuit challenges a new policy introduced by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, which expands access to the Bureau of Fiscal Services’ payment systems for political appointees and special government employees.
“This Court, sitting in its Part I capacity, this evening received an application for a temporary restraining order filed by the Attorneys General of the 19 States identified as plaintiffs above,” Engelmayer wrote. “The States’ lawsuit challenges a new policy by the United States Department of the Treasury, at the direction of the President and the Secretary of the Treasury, which, as alleged, expands access to the payment systems of the Bureau of Fiscal Services (BFS) to political appointees and ‘special government employees.’”
