Thirteen Democratic state attorneys general, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, announced their intention to file a lawsuit to prevent Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing federal payment systems containing sensitive personal information of American citizens. The attorneys general argued that the move threatens privacy rights and could disrupt critical federal programs such as Social Security and Medicare. They emphasized that no one, not even Musk, should be above the law and that the president does not have the authority to share private information or alter federal payments approved by Congress.
The legal action is a response to concerns about DOGE’s involvement with Treasury Department payment systems. Government officials and labor unions have expressed fears that Musk’s department could introduce security risks or cause delays in essential federal payments. A federal judge ruled Thursday that two of Musk’s associates will have “read-only” access to Treasury systems, but no one, including Musk, will have full access at this time. This ruling came after a lawsuit was filed by federal workers unions who claimed DOGE’s actions could invade privacy and disrupt federal payment systems.
The lawsuit is expected to be filed soon, though no specific timeline was provided. The attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont joined James in expressing concerns. Critics of Musk’s involvement, including members of Congress, argue that his actions, such as seeking access to sensitive data and potentially blocking payments to critical agencies, pose significant risks to privacy and government operations.
Musk has defended his actions, stating that DOGE is saving taxpayers millions of dollars, while mocking the criticism on his social media platform, X. However, the controversy surrounding his involvement with federal payment systems continues to grow, with concerns over his influence and access to sensitive information.
