The court ruling protects personal financial data, citing risks of harm and hacking
Judge Denies Musk's Access to Treasury Records Amid Legal Tussle
Judge Denies Musk's Access to Treasury Records Amid Legal Tussle
A federal injunction halts access to sensitive data by Musk's Doge initiative
A federal judge has dealt a blow to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, commonly referred to as Doge, by blocking the initiative from accessing sensitive financial data held by the Treasury Department. US District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer issued a preliminary injunction on Saturday, mandating the immediate destruction of any copies of the financial records obtained.
This legal action follows a lawsuit from 19 state attorneys general against the Trump administration, arguing that granting access to these records to Musk and his team—who are labeled as “special government employees”—contravenes federal law because Doge lacks the authority of an official government entity. The attorneys general contend that allowing access poses an unacceptable risk of exposing personal information and increases potential vulnerabilities to cyber attacks.
In the judge’s ruling, issued early Saturday, he noted that the states would face "irreparable" harm if the request was denied. The injunction specifically prohibits the sharing of personally identifiable or confidential information with Musk and his associate political appointees, stating that only verified civil servants working for the Bureau of Fiscal Services who have passed security clearances may access such sensitive information.
The ruling also extends the restrictions to any other involved parties, requiring them to eliminate any copies of the records in question. The conditions set forth will remain in effect until the upcoming court hearing slated for February 14. Musk's Doge initiative, which has prompted significant operational changes at the US Agency for International Development (USAID), continues to stir considerable controversy during Trump's administration.
This legal action follows a lawsuit from 19 state attorneys general against the Trump administration, arguing that granting access to these records to Musk and his team—who are labeled as “special government employees”—contravenes federal law because Doge lacks the authority of an official government entity. The attorneys general contend that allowing access poses an unacceptable risk of exposing personal information and increases potential vulnerabilities to cyber attacks.
In the judge’s ruling, issued early Saturday, he noted that the states would face "irreparable" harm if the request was denied. The injunction specifically prohibits the sharing of personally identifiable or confidential information with Musk and his associate political appointees, stating that only verified civil servants working for the Bureau of Fiscal Services who have passed security clearances may access such sensitive information.
The ruling also extends the restrictions to any other involved parties, requiring them to eliminate any copies of the records in question. The conditions set forth will remain in effect until the upcoming court hearing slated for February 14. Musk's Doge initiative, which has prompted significant operational changes at the US Agency for International Development (USAID), continues to stir considerable controversy during Trump's administration.
