Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with a coalition of 18 attorneys general, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The lawsuit aims to halt what they describe as unauthorized access to Americans' private information and sensitive data.
The coalition claims that the Trump administration unlawfully granted Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to the Treasury Department's central payment system. This system contains critical personal information such as bank account details and Social Security numbers. The expanded access could potentially allow Musk and his team to block federal funds directed towards states and programs that provide essential services like health care and childcare.
Raoul emphasized, "Federal law limits access to Americans’ personal and self-identifying information to specific government workers who have passed extensive and thorough security clearances. Unelected political appointees who have not been appropriately vetted should not be allowed to have unrestricted access to Americans’ sensitive personal information and our nation’s most critical payment system."
The coalition seeks to stop this new policy by the Trump administration that grants DOGE, Musk, and others access to confidential information and U.S. Treasury's payment systems.
As of February 2nd, the Treasury Department implemented a policy allowing special government employees, including Elon Musk and DOGE members, access to its central payment system managed by the Bureau of Fiscal Services (BFS). This system is crucial for distributing funds like Social Security payments, veterans' benefits, Medicare, Medicaid payments, among others. It also manages billions in funding for essential state services such as law enforcement and public education.
Access to BFS is legally restricted to career civil servants with proper security clearances. Raoul argues that expanding this access violates federal law, endangers sensitive personal data, and gives unauthorized political appointees control over a system capable of freezing federal funds.
The lawsuit seeks an injunction against the continuation of this policy by the Trump administration. Additionally, it requests a legal declaration stating that the Treasury Department's policy change is unlawful and unconstitutional.
Joining Attorney General Raoul in this legal action are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.