More than a dozen state attorneys general challenge Musk and DOGE’s authority

By MORGAN LEE, Associated Press

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Attorneys wide from 14 states challenged the authorization of billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency to entree sensitive authorities data and workout “virtually unchecked power” successful a suit filed Thursday.

The lawsuit, filed successful national tribunal successful Washington, D.C., says the actions taken by Musk astatine the helm of DOGE tin lone beryllium taken by a nominated and Senate-confirmed official. It sites law provisions that delineate the powers of Congress and the president.

The attorneys wide said the tribunal should barroom Musk from issuing orders to anyone successful the enforcement subdivision extracurricular DOGE and state that his actions person nary ineligible effect.

They asked the tribunal to bid Musk to place ways that “any information obtained done unlawful bureau entree was used,” destruct “such unauthorized entree successful his oregon DOGE’s possession” and barroom Musk and DOGE from ordering changes successful the disbursement of nationalist funds, canceling authorities contracts, taking steps to dismantle agencies and more.

“We are asking the tribunal to invalidate his directives and actions and to contented a restraining order,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said during an online quality league alongside attorneys wide from Arizona and New Mexico.

California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington attorneys wide besides joined the lawsuit.

Musk’s squad has roamed from bureau to agency, tapping into machine systems, digging into budgets and searching for what helium calls waste, fraud and abuse, portion lawsuits heap up claiming President Donald Trump and DOGE are violating the law.

On Thursday, Musk called for the U.S. to “delete full agencies” from the national authorities arsenic portion of his propulsion to radically chopped spending and restructure its priorities.

Democratic attorneys wide accidental Musk’s attack is generating profound concerns among their constituents astir the unafraid handling of delicate accusation astatine agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the IRS.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said Trump is demonstrating “weakness” successful deploying Musk alternatively than advancing his docket done a Republican-controlled Congress.

“Move accelerated and breaking things whitethorn enactment successful Silicon Valley for a tech company,” Torrez said. “It’s not bully governance and it’s unconstitutional.”

Associated Press newsman Jacques Billeaud contributed from Phoenix.