Judge Orders Musk and DOGE to Provide Documents

Key Points:

• Federal judge orders Musk and DOGE to comply with document requests.
• Deadline for submission is in three weeks.
• Lawsuits challenge Musk's authority and DOGE's actions.
• Continuing legal scrutiny over DOGE's operations.

A federal judge has instructed Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to provide documents and answer questions regarding their plans to reduce federal agencies.

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan mandated that both Musk and DOGE must comply with this request within three weeks. This includes records related to their plans to cut federal agencies, terminate federal employees, and cancel federal contracts. Notably, President Donald Trump, who established DOGE through an executive order on January 20, is not included in these discovery requests.

In a related case last month, 14 Democratic state attorneys general filed a federal lawsuit against Trump, Musk, and DOGE, aiming to "restore constitutional order" and halt Musk from issuing orders within the Executive Branch beyond DOGE’s scope. The suit argues that Musk’s actions are unconstitutional since he does not hold a formal government office.

Chutkan rejected the request for a temporary restraining order against Musk and DOGE, stating that there was no clear evidence of immediate harm to the states. However, she acknowledged the valid concerns raised about the authority wielded by Musk and DOGE, which lacks oversight from Congress.

Since the beginning of Trump's second term, Musk and DOGE have faced nearly two dozen lawsuits. DOGE's plan to minimize spending through significant layoffs of federal workers and cutting foreign aid has created anxiety within the government.

This is not Musk and DOGE's first encounter with court orders related to their operations. Recently, District Judge Christopher Cooper ordered Musk and DOGE to comply with three Freedom of Information Act requests from a watchdog group. In his ruling, Cooper highlighted that DOGE was operating with "unusual secrecy" and that public interest would suffer due to any delays in fulfilling these requests.

When approached for a comment on Cooper's ruling, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice remarked that Musk and DOGE are "saving historic amounts of taxpayer money from being spent on unserious bureaucratic pet projects." The statement also reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to defend Trump's agenda against waste and misuse of taxpayer funds.

As of now, representatives for DOGE and the DOJ have not responded to any requests for additional comments.