U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Washington DC, a federal judge has denied a request by 14 Democratic state attorneys general to immediately restrict Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing federal agencies, marking a legal win for the controversial initiative.
Court Ruling on DOGE’s Authority
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled on Tuesday that the coalition of states, led by New Mexico, failed to demonstrate irreparable harm necessary to justify an immediate block of DOGE’s actions.
“Plaintiffs legitimately call into question what appears to be the unchecked authority of an unelected individual and an entity that was not created by Congress and over which it has no oversight,” Chutkan wrote in her ruling. However, she concluded that issuing a temporary restraining order (TRO) at this stage was not justified without clear evidence of imminent harm.
In a footnote, Chutkan also raised concerns about potential misrepresentations by the Justice Department, cautioning defense attorneys about their duty to provide truthful information to the court.
DOGE’s Rapid Actions and Legal Challenges
Musk’s DOGE has moved quickly since President Trump’s inauguration, placing personnel in key federal agencies with the goal of cutting trillions in government spending. This has led to multiple lawsuits challenging the department’s authority and access to government data.
The Democratic-led states aimed to block DOGE personnel from obtaining sensitive data from:
- Office of Personnel Management
- Department of Education
- Department of Labor
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Energy
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Commerce
During a Monday hearing, Chutkan questioned the broad scope of the states’ request, stating:
“I don’t mean to be dismissive, but it’s sort of like a prophylactic TRO, and that’s not allowed.”
Concerns Over Musk’s Role
The Justice Department maintains that Musk has no formal authority over DOGE’s decisions, with DOJ attorney Harry Graver stating that all DOGE actions follow a “clear paper trail” and are not directly commanded by Musk.
However, Chutkan pushed back, saying:
“I think you stretch too far. I disagree with you there.”
Following the hearing, the DOJ submitted a declaration stating Musk is not a DOGE employee but rather a senior adviser to President Trump at the White House.
Ongoing Legal Battles
This lawsuit is one of over a dozen cases challenging DOGE’s authority. Other recent legal developments include:
- A separate judge declined to block DOGE from accessing student borrower data at the Education Department.
- A Friday ruling denied a union request to prevent DOGE from accessing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and two other agencies.
The legal fight over DOGE’s constitutionality and influence is far from over, with multiple challenges still pending in federal courts.
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Good for the judge.
Democrats continue to destroy the party with their stupidity!
Obama appointed judge. Fortunately, he appears to in the declining common-sense variety of Dems .