A coalition of 14 state attorneys general, including representatives from California, New York, and several other states, has announced plans to sue Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) over its access to sensitive federal data. The group argues that Musk’s team, which was tasked with federal spending cuts at the request of former President Donald Trump, has unlawfully accessed various government databases. These databases, housed in multiple federal agencies such as the Treasury, Education, and Labor Departments, contain reams of personal and financial data belonging to millions of individuals.
The attorneys general emphasized that the data accessed by DOGE includes not only personal information like Social Security numbers, but also states’ bank account data, household income, and other sensitive financial details. They highlighted that such access was unauthorized and unprecedented, with some experts even classifying it as a data breach. They argue that this action violates both federal and state privacy laws, and they aim to stop Musk and his team from continuing their unauthorized access to these critical systems.
While there is no broad federal privacy law governing such actions, several states have laws that protect the privacy of their residents’ data. The lawsuit targets DOGE’s work with the Treasury Department, where it is claimed that Musk’s staff has accessed payment systems storing sensitive data, including personal and banking information. The coalition of states has expressed their intent to halt DOGE’s actions, fearing that continued access would further compromise citizens’ privacy rights.
The announcement comes a day after the Treasury Department temporarily blocked further access by DOGE following a lawsuit filed by union groups. These groups had raised concerns over the sensitive information stored in the payment systems, including bank account numbers, credit card details, and personal identifiers like driver’s license numbers and birthdates. The legal action from the state attorneys general follows this development, signaling a continued battle over the protection of private data from unauthorized government access.
