CALIFORNIA – California attorney general Rob Bonta announced, February 6, that the state joined a coalition of attorneys general planning to file a lawsuit in response to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) accessing federal payments systems without authorization.
“In the past week, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has given Elon Musk access to Americans’ personal private information, state bank account data, and other information that is some of our country’s most sensitive data,” said the attorneys in a statement.
Since the unauthorized access, a federal judge granted “read only” access to two DOGE staffers – one of which has resigned.
According to the Washington Post, DOGE deputy and Silicon Valley executive Tom Krausse will become the head of the Treasury Department. He is replacing David Lebryk, a career Treasury official who retired after a disagreement with DOGE staffers over payment systems access.
Democrats denied entry to government agencies four times this week
According to the attorneys, the level of access for unauthorized individuals is unlawful, unprecedented, and unacceptable.
“DOGE has no authority to access this information, which they explicitly sought in order to block critical payments that millions of Americans rely on – payments that support health care, childcare, and other essential programs,” said the attorneys in a statement.
So far, DOGE, co-directed by Elon Musk, has taken actions to halt funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), labeling it a ‘criminal organization.’
He also froze funding for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) climate programs affecting a $7 billion Solar for All program and $5 billion for Climate Pollution Reduction Grants.
Democrats have been denied entry to the Treasury, EPA, USAID and the Department of Education (DOE) this week in their efforts to exercise ‘their First Amendment rights.’
The moment Democratic Housemembers and Senators tried access the USAID building today, amid news the State Dept. is taking control of the agency, but were denied.
Elon Musk continues to to push for a full end to USAID. pic.twitter.com/sOWWyCinUr
— Joe Khalil (@JoeKhalilTV) February 3, 2025
Essential funding communities are counting on
The attorneys general said they will be filing a lawsuit ‘in defense of our Constitution, our right to privacy, and the essential funding that individuals and communities nationwide are counting on.’
 accessing federal payments systems without authorization.){kind=link}