A federal judge has approved Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to access sensitive records from at least three federal agencies. The decision comes after a group of unions and nonprofits sought to block DOGE from accessing the records, citing concerns over the department’s authority as an agency.
US District Judge John Bates denied the request, stating that DOGE is considered an “agency” in the eyes of the law. This determination gives DOGE the authority to detail its employees to parts of the federal government where they can access sensitive records.
The judge ruled that the plaintiffs had not shown a substantial likelihood that DOGE is not an agency, and therefore allowed it to continue accessing the records. The decision follows another case in which Judge Bates ordered multiple agencies to restore public health data removed by the Trump administration.
Musk had previously called for Judge Bates’ impeachment after the judge issued a ruling in the other case. However, he celebrated Friday’s decision on social media, stating that his team has won a significant victory.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/federal-judge-hands-musks-doge-win-data-access/story?id=118851973