US Treasury sued for giving Elon Musk’s DOGE access to sensitive info

Union Groups Sue US Treasury over Elon Musk's Access to Personal Information

Labor unions have filed a lawsuit against the US Treasury, alleging that it has violated federal laws by providing sensitive financial and personal information to Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the nation's largest union group, filed the suit in a Washington, DC, federal court on February 3rd. The lawsuit claims that the Treasury has been "unlawfully disclosing personal and financial information" to Musk and DOGE.

"The extent of the intrusion into individuals' privacy is immense and unparalleled," the AFL-CIO stated. "Individuals who are required to provide information to the federal government should not be forced to share it with Elon Musk or his 'DOGE.'"

The lawsuit stems from Donald Trump's promise to reduce federal spending. Musk was appointed by Trump to lead the initiative with DOGE, which is believed to be a homage to Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency that Musk has previously endorsed.

The lawsuit cites a February 1st post on Bluesky from US Senator Ron Wyden, in which Wyden quoted sources stating that "Bessent has given DOGE full access" to the Treasury's payment systems.

The Treasury's payment systems contain sensitive information such as "names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, birthplaces, home addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, and bank account information" of millions of Americans, according to the lawsuit.

Prominent Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Elizabeth Warren, have expressed concerns about Musk and DOGE's access to Treasury systems. Schumer announced that he would introduce legislation "to prohibit unlawful interference in the Treasury Department's payment systems."

Warren warned that the system "is now at the mercy of Elon Musk," who has "the ability to extract all of that information for his own purposes."

The Treasury and USDS have yet to comment on the lawsuit.

Source: Ron Wyden