DOGE scandal: Did Elon Musk really ‘hack the government’?

Democratic attorneys general of 19 states have filed a lawsuit against the Donald Trump administration in federal court in New York. The lawsuit alleges that the ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ (DOGE) led by Elon Musk illegally accessed data from the US Treasury Department’s important payment system.

This information was reported by the AP news agency. New York Attorney General Letitia James said that the Treasury Department’s money transaction system stores sensitive personal information, including Americans’ Social Security numbers and bank account information. The Trump administration has allowed DOGE to access this database, which is a violation of federal law.

Although DOGE was originally formed to reduce government spending, concerns have arisen over the personal information of citizens falling into the hands of this organization. “This unelected body, run by the richest man in the world, should not be allowed to access such sensitive information,” said Letitia James.

In addition to New York, the lawsuit involves attorneys general from 18 other states. These states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

The lawsuit alleges that DOGE’s actions interfere with funding authorized by Congress and violate the Constitution’s separation of powers. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant is accused of illegally allowing DOGE to access information by changing long-standing data protection policies.

Elon Musk has taken to his social media platform X to mock the allegations against DOGE, claiming that the company is saving people money. However, the plaintiffs in the case believe that the decision threatens the privacy and financial security of US citizens.

Source: AP News