Attorneys General Sue to Block Government Access to Treasury Data
Attorneys general from 19 states have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration and Elon Musk's U.S. DOGE Service, aiming to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive Treasury data on Americans.
Attorneys general from 19 states filed a lawsuit on Friday to prevent the Trump administration and Elon Musk's U.S. DOGE Service from accessing sensitive data from the Treasury Department regarding millions of Americans.
The lawsuit, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, argues that Musk's DOGE Service was unauthorized to access Treasury systems, raising significant cybersecurity and privacy concerns.
The lawsuit states, "Defendants' new expanded access policy poses huge cybersecurity risks that put vast amounts of funding for the States and their residents in peril." It highlights the risk of personally identifiable information being compromised.
In the suit, officials indicated that DOGE has utilized a third-party artificial intelligence system, increasing fears of data mishandling within the Treasury Department.
Along with New York, the states participating in the lawsuit include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
The attorneys general are seeking a court order to revoke DOGE's access and declare the Treasury’s policy change unlawful.
A federal contractor's review pointed to an unprecedented insider threat risk tied to DOGE's access, recommending the immediate termination of its access to Treasury's payment network.
Musk associate Tom Krause will oversee $5 trillion in Treasury disbursements after prior conflicts between DOGE and Treasury officials.
Americans rely on Treasury payment processing for various essential services, and fears persist regarding DOGE’s involvement.
The Treasury Department has described DOGE's access as “read only" to mitigate concerns, yet many remain apprehensive about potential disruptions to federal funding and service releases.
The lawsuit added that DOGE's actions could lead to additional freezes on federal funds similar to previous disruptions caused by White House directives.
Former official David A. Lebryk resigned after disagreements with Musk’s team over database access.
