(CLO) Fourteen states have filed a lawsuit alleging that President Donald Trump's appointment of billionaire Elon Musk to head the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE) and give him "broad powers" violates the Constitution's Appointment Clause.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., by the attorneys general of New Mexico and 13 other states, alleges that Trump granted billionaire Musk "unchecked legal authority" without the authorization of the U.S. Congress .
Musk's campaign has swept through federal agencies since Trump became president last month, tasking the Tesla CEO and the world's richest man with eliminating wasteful spending as part of a sweeping government overhaul.
Billionaire Elon Musk is causing much controversy as the head of the U.S. Department for Government Effectiveness (DOGE). Photo: GI/X
Elon Musk and his Department of Efficiency are also facing privacy lawsuits due to their access to government computer systems. The new lawsuit alleges Musk was illegally appointed and seeks an injunction prohibiting him from performing any further government actions.
"Unaware of the threat this posed to the nation, President Trump issued virtually unchecked authorization to Mr. Musk without lawful authorization from Congress and without meaningful oversight of his actions," the states said.
Two federal judges overseeing ongoing privacy lawsuits against DOGE will consider on Friday whether the agency was allowed access to Treasury Department payment systems and potentially sensitive data at U.S. health, consumer protection, and labor agencies.
The states allege that Musk's team lacked the legal authority to access payment systems containing sensitive personal information of millions of Americans.
The lawsuit also argues that Musk and his team could disrupt federal funding for health clinics, kindergartens, climate initiatives, and other programs.
In Washington, U.S. District Court Judge John Bates will consider a request from unions to prevent the DOGE group from accessing sensitive records at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Most of Trump's initiatives that faced legal challenges were blocked by the courts, prompting billionaire Musk and other officials in the new administration to call for the impeachment of the judges. Despite some initiatives being blocked by the courts, the Trump administration continued to lay off numerous public servants and drastically cut foreign aid programs (USAID).
Bui Huy (according to Reuters, ABC News, Forbes)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/14-tieu-bang-my-kien-viec-bo-nhiem-elon-musk-lanh-dao-doge-la-bat-hop-phap-post334450.html
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