Several Democratic attorneys general announced on Thursday that they plan to file a lawsuit against Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). They aim to prevent DOGE from gaining access to federal payment systems that contain Americans’ private financial information.
A group of twelve attorneys general, including New York’s Letitia James, released a statement explaining their decision. They emphasized that they are taking this action to protect the U.S. Constitution, citizens’ privacy, and the critical government funding that millions of people depend on.
“As the world’s richest man, Elon Musk is not used to being denied what he wants. But in this country, no one is above the law,” the statement read. “The President does not have the authority to hand over private financial data to anyone, nor can he unilaterally stop federal payments that have been approved by Congress.”
When asked for a response, the White House did not provide an immediate comment.
Government officials and labor unions have expressed concerns about DOGE’s involvement with federal payments. They fear it could lead to security issues or even cause disruptions in essential programs like Social Security and Medicare. These programs provide crucial financial support to millions of Americans, especially seniors and low-income families.
In a related legal development, a federal judge ruled on Thursday that two individuals linked to Musk can have limited “read-only” access to Treasury Department payment systems. However, the judge clarified that no one else, including Musk himself, would be granted access at this time. This decision came as a result of a lawsuit filed by federal workers’ unions, which argue that DOGE’s actions could violate citizens’ privacy on a massive scale.
It remains uncertain when the Democratic attorneys general will officially file their lawsuit. Alongside New York’s Letitia James, attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Vermont are also supporting the legal challenge.
President Donald Trump appointed Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency with a mission to reduce the size of the federal government. However, many Democrats have strongly opposed Musk’s actions, accusing him of attempting to take control of taxpayer data and shutting down key government agencies, including those responsible for international humanitarian aid.
Recently, DOGE gained access to highly sensitive payment data within the U.S. Treasury Department. This development followed the resignation of David Lebryk, the Treasury’s acting Deputy Secretary. Lebryk, who had served in government for more than 30 years, stepped down under pressure after Musk and DOGE demanded access to critical Treasury records. The Washington Post reported that his resignation came as a direct result of these demands.
With legal battles now underway, the dispute over DOGE’s role in handling federal payments and sensitive financial data continues to escalate. The outcome of these lawsuits could have significant consequences for government operations and citizens’ privacy in the United States.
