Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Federal judge hands Musk’s DOGE a win on data access at 3 agencies - A judge says DOGE is legally defined as an "agency."
ABC News ^ | Feb 14, 2025

Posted on 02/15/2025 3:00:57 AM PST by 11th_VA

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency can continue to access sensitive records from at least three federal agencies after a federal judge in Washington denied a request to block Musk's budget-slashing team from the Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

U.S. District Judge John Bates, in a late-night ruling, denied a request made by a group of unions and nonprofits to issue a temporary order blocking DOGE from the sensitive records maintained by the three agencies.

… The judge's decision came down to the question of whether DOGE has the authority to "detail" its people to individual parts of the federal government where – as employees of that department or agency – the individuals associated with DOGE could legally access the sensitive records. To have that authority, DOGE would have to be considered an "agency" in the eyes of the law, Bates wrote.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that DOGE is not an agency -- because it was created via an executive order -- and therefore is not entitled to detail its employees to parts of the federal government.

… Curiously, lawyers for DOGE have attempted to avoid the "agency" label during court hearings despite its "strong claim" to agency status, Bates wrote.

… Ultimately, they disagreed with DOGE's own interpretation of its status -- determining it likely is an "agency" -- and delivering it a surprise win by determining that DOGE has the authority to continue to access to sensitive records.

"For the reasons explained above, on the record as it currently stands and with limited briefing on the issue, the case law defining agencies indicates that plaintiffs have not shown a substantial likelihood that [DOGE] is not an agency. If that is so, [DOGE] may detail its employees to other agencies consistent with the Economy Act," he wrote.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: agency; doge; judgewatch; winning
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-38 next last
Trump is genius
1 posted on 02/15/2025 3:00:58 AM PST by 11th_VA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

No doubt DJT is a Genius, and he’s surrounded himself with geniuses. They’ve seemed to have anticipated every step the Democrats have placed in front of them.


2 posted on 02/15/2025 3:06:32 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

Big Balls is the feds. Embrace the suck.


3 posted on 02/15/2025 3:11:49 AM PST by Libloather (Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA
Federal judge hands Musk’s DOGE a win on data access at 3 agencies

Here's the link so the article isn't pulled:

4 posted on 02/15/2025 3:19:00 AM PST by quantim (Victory is not relative, it is absolute.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Libloather

Big Balls is the feds. Embrace the suck. and harry Boltz is the engineer


5 posted on 02/15/2025 3:47:47 AM PST by ronnie raygun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Libloather

Big Balls is the feds. Embrace the suck. and harry Boltz is the engineer


6 posted on 02/15/2025 3:47:47 AM PST by ronnie raygun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: ronnie raygun

Elections have consequences.

As Obama said, “You lost, John.”

Dems are collapsing now as taxpayers are p*ssed.


7 posted on 02/15/2025 3:55:19 AM PST by TigerClaws
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

“ request made by a group of unions and nonprofits to issue a temporary order blocking DOGE from the sensitive records maintained by the three agencies.”

Imagine that! A group of unions and nonprofits do not want to have their funding or spending investigated!

There should not be any federal unions. They were established by executive order. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Trump abolishes them someday by executive order?

All nonprofit status should be abolished. People will continue to donate to real charities such as their own church or Samaritans purse without a tax deduction.


8 posted on 02/15/2025 3:55:34 AM PST by Freee-dame ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GOPJ; poconopundit; Jane Long; Diana in Wisconsin; Grampa Dave; Godzilla; Vaduz; null and void; ...

FYI


9 posted on 02/15/2025 4:18:42 AM PST by Liz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

When DOGE was Obama’s (may he live forever in the fires if Hell) organization (albeit under a different name), nobody questioned it.


10 posted on 02/15/2025 4:43:06 AM PST by grobdriver (The CDC can KMA!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: grobdriver

Exactly. DOGE is simply USDS, the United States Digital Service created by Obama in 2014. Trump merely renamed it to United States Doge Service — it’s the ace up the sleeve which will win on appeal or at SCOUTS rejection of all the lawfare attempts to stop it.


11 posted on 02/15/2025 4:54:24 AM PST by sturmde
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

Here’s what the AP, currently overtly at war with Trump, reports the same event:

https://www.courthousenews.com/federal-judge-skeptical-doge-has-authority-to-embed-agents-throughout-federal-government/


12 posted on 02/15/2025 5:01:30 AM PST by 9YearLurker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA; kiryandil

This is the same guy that issued a ruling that hurt Trump’s team.

One wonders if he realizes which way the wind blows.


13 posted on 02/15/2025 5:10:36 AM PST by Lazamataz (The BEST birthday present I ever got WAS DONALD TRUMP WINNING IN 2024!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

Does the agency classification put constraints on DOGE?


14 posted on 02/15/2025 5:12:34 AM PST by Raycpa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

YES!


15 posted on 02/15/2025 5:22:53 AM PST by MayflowerMadam (It's hard not to celebrate the fall of bad people. - Bongino)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

Thank You, LORD!


16 posted on 02/15/2025 5:28:27 AM PST by Flaming Conservative ((Pray without ceasing))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA
It was a mixed bag with that ruling. DOGE may be able to continue accessing those sensitive records, but the judge had something to say about DOGE's lawyers avoiding the agency label:

"This appears to come from a desire to escape the obligations that accompany agencyhood" -- such as being subject to the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act and the Administrative Procedures Act -- "while reaping only its benefits," the judge wrote.

The lawyers for DOGE apparently did not like the agency label, because an agency is subject to certain legal obligations.

17 posted on 02/15/2025 5:43:32 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (FBI out of Florida!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ImJustAnotherOkie

He’s had four years to watch and plan.

He can figure out how the enemy thinks and stay one step ahead of them.


18 posted on 02/15/2025 5:44:55 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Fred Nerks

Ping to post # 11.....using Obama against himself.


19 posted on 02/15/2025 5:58:26 AM PST by Candor7 (Ask not for whom the Trump Trolls,He trolls for thee!),<img src="" width=500</img><a href="">tag</a>)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: TigerClaws
Dems are collapsing now as taxpayers are p*ssed.

And it only going to get worse for them as April 15th is around the corner. Once Americans have to start writing checks to the IRS they are going to be even more angry and non-sympathetic to the grift that has been occurring for a long time.

20 posted on 02/15/2025 6:00:54 AM PST by frogjerk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-38 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson