- Judge Orders DOGE and Elon Musk to Hand Over Internal Records about Cost-Cutting measures in response to a lawsuit by 14 state attorneys general.
- The states argued Musk was unconstitutionally wielding immense power damaging their states, exceeding his authority and exercising powers reserved for officials confirmed by the Senate.
- Judge Chutkan clarified that the directive aims to identify individuals within DOGE responsible for budget reduction decisions and the extent of their authority.
A U.S. judge on March 13 ordered Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to supply a range of documents and respond to inquiries about their initiatives to reduce federal expenditures.
This mandate from U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan followed a legal action filed by 14 state attorneys general against Musk, DOGE, and ex-President Donald Trump.
The states alleged that Musk exceeded his mandate by assuming responsibilities that are traditionally carried out by individuals approved by the U.S. Senate, as stipulated by the Appointments Clause.
They were seeking information through a legal process known as discovery. Judge Chutkan, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, made it clear that the main goal of her order was to determine who in DOGE was responsible for the decisions surrounding budget cuts and how much authority they actually had.
NEW: Judge Chutkan GRANTS a request for discovery in the case brought by state AGs alleging that the conduct of Musk and DOGE violates the Appointments Clause. The permitted discovery includes documents and interrogatories related to the scope of Musk/DOGE’s authority. pic.twitter.com/n23tSzJfxv
— Anna Bower (@AnnaBower) March 12, 2025
Chutkan stressed that the court wanted to understand the scope of DOGE’s and Musk’s powers. The U.S. Department of Justice, which is representing the defendants, didn’t provide immediate comments. She limited the discovery requests to specific information about agencies, personnel contracts, federal laws, databases, and data management systems that interact with the 14 states or entities that they either manage or support.
She rejected the states’ request for sworn testimony through depositions and made it clear that her order doesn’t apply to Trump. Historically, both Republican and Democratic administrations have pushed back against making senior White House advisors testify or reveal privileged information. Musk and DOGE are required to comply with Chutkan’s order by April 2.
The lawsuit aims to stop DOGE from accessing information systems within government departments and from terminating or placing federal employees on leave.
Also Read: Trump Aims for No Tax on Income Below $150,000 Annually: Key Implications
Last Updated on March 13, 2025 by 247 News Around The World
