U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has scheduled an unusual court hearing on Presidents Day, Monday, in a case brought by Democratic state attorneys general seeking to block Elon Musk’s government cost-cutting team, known as DOGE, from accessing federal agencies’ information systems.
The hearing comes after 13 Democratic state attorneys general requested a temporary restraining order to prevent DOGE, or the Department of Government Efficiency, from accessing systems at several government agencies, including the Departments of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services, Energy, Transportation, Commerce, and the Office of Personnel Management.
DOGE, led by Musk, has been conducting an overhaul of government spending since former President Donald Trump appointed Musk to root out wasteful expenditures. This includes significant job cuts announced last Friday. The attorneys general also seek to prevent the DOGE team from firing or placing government employees on leave.
The attorneys general argue that Musk’s influence over government operations exceeds the powers allowed to non-elected officials and contend that DOGE has not been authorized by Congress. The states are requesting a 14-day temporary order to allow time for further legal action.
The case is one of around 20 lawsuits filed in federal courts across the country, with varying outcomes. Recently, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in New York extended a temporary block on DOGE’s access to Treasury systems, while U.S. District Judge John Bates in Washington rejected a similar request for the Department of Labor and Health and Human Services.
Most judges involved in DOGE-related cases have not yet issued final rulings.
