In the United States, a second federal court has restricted Doge's powers. It is about access to payment systems. The new body led by Tech billionaire Musk wants to reduce government spending with controversial methods.
After a court decision in Washington, the powers of the newly established US committee Department of Government Efficiency, or Doge for short, were now also restricted in New York. The committee, at the top of which is Tech billionaire Elon Musk, has been set up to determine possible savings on the spending of the US government.
For this, the employees of Doge received access to the US Ministry of Finance. However, several lawsuits have already been submitted against this, including because of possible violations of data protection. The system of the Ministry of Finance will be handled social security payments to millions of Americans, tax refunds and the salaries of federal employees.
Concern about the disclosure of confidential data
In New York, a coalition of 19 Democratic Attorney General had filed a lawsuit against the powers for Doge. It has not yet been decided on the lawsuit, the responsible federal court started a hearing for February 14.
In a first step, however, it decided by an injunction that the powers were at risk of “irreparable damage” – not only through the possible disclosure of confidential information, but also due to increased risks to hacker attacks. There was the risk that the responsible judge Paul Engelmayer said in his decision. The court ordered that certain people who work for Doge have “immediately destroyed all copies of material” that may have been downloaded.
Access rights also restricted in Washington DC
Already on Thursday, a court in Washington DC decided similarly and severely restricted the rights of access by Doge employees. Only two employees working for the committee should be able to view the system for the time being. However, the two employees cannot make changes.
Here, however, the court decided against an injunction that would have completely forbidden access to the payment system to the Doge employees. In Washington, too, a final decision about the lawsuit of unionists is still pending.
Allegations of racism Against Doge employee
Reports from the New York Times are currently supposed to work around 40 employees for Doge. Many of them used to work for Musk companies, i.e. space X or Tesla. A 25-year-old, who was formerly employed by Space X, had lost his position at Doge due to allegations of racism. As the Wall Street Journal reported, it is Marko Elez – one of the two employees to whom the Federal Supreme Court in Washington DC is said to have granted insight into the payment system of the Ministry of Finance.
The Wall Street Journal also published articles that Elez is said to have published at short message service X. In it he is said to have written: “I was racist before it became cool.” The author also wrote that even for money he would not get married outside of his ethnic group. At the Middle East War, he said that he had no problem if Gaza and Israel were both disappearing from the ground. When asked by the newspaper for these articles, the spokeswoman for the White House, Karoline Leavitt, shared, the owner of the account at X had resigned from his post.
Musk is committed to Elez's return
But now Musk apparently wants to bring the 25-year-old back to Doge. The billionaire started a corresponding campaign on Friday and had X voted at X about whether Elez should get his position back at Doge. Wand is human and forgive divine, said Musk. The author of the Wall Street journal article titled as a “disgusting and cruel person”.
Musk received a backing from US Vice President JD Vance, who wrote at X that “stupid social media activity should not ruin the life of a boy”.
