Washington, D.C. - Attorneys general from 14 U.S. states filed a lawsuit on Thursday challenging the authority of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The lawsuit alleges that DOGE is exercising "virtually unchecked power" and seeks to invalidate its directives and actions.
The lawsuit also requests a restraining order to prevent Musk from issuing orders to executive branch personnel outside of DOGE. It further demands the identification and destruction of any data obtained through unlawful agency access and seeks to bar DOGE from ordering changes in the disbursement of public funds.
The attorneys general argue that DOGE's actions threaten the financial livelihood of public servants and that the accumulation of state power in the hands of an unelected individual poses a threat to democracy. The lawsuit follows an executive order from the Trump administration to reduce the federal workforce and another lawsuit demanding DOGE be banned from accessing personnel records.