Initial Lawsuits Target Trump Administration, Focus on DOGE
Shortly after Trump took the oath of office, at least three lawsuits were initiated in federal court in Washington, aiming to close down Elon Musk’s department.
TroibNews 
The legal challenges against President Donald Trump have already commenced.
Shortly after Trump took the oath of office, a trio of lawsuits were filed in federal court in Washington, aiming to halt Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” until it adheres to transparency regulations regarding governmental advisory bodies.
The complaints assert that the initiative announced by Trump to combat government waste breaches the Federal Advisory Committee Act by involving private individuals in the government decision-making process without the public access mandated by law.
In the days following his election in November, Trump expressed his intention to establish DOGE, led by Musk alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. He referenced the proposed department during his inaugural speech, and aides indicated he plans to issue an executive order that same day to formalize this efficiency-focused initiative.
Ramaswamy recently stepped back from involvement in the project to pursue the governorship in Ohio, but he and Musk had previously proposed ideas including the "large scale firing of government employees" randomly selected from lists of such personnel.
Although the president cannot establish official government departments without legislation passed by Congress, Trump appears determined to label his anti-bureaucracy initiative as a department nevertheless.
One lawsuit, initiated by Public Citizen, the State Democracy Defenders Fund, and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, argues that DOGE violates FACA, which the suit claims aims to prevent initiatives from “turning into vehicles for advancing private interests in the federal decision-making process.”
Other lawsuits have been filed by National Security Counselors, Democracy Forward, and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
A fourth lawsuit, filed on Monday by the Center for Biological Diversity, seeks access to all records related to DOGE from the Office of Management and Budget.
Indicators suggest that the incoming Trump administration anticipated legal challenges to this cost-saving initiative. In December, Trump appointed Washington election lawyer William McGinley as general counsel for the project.
Previously, Trump had chosen McGinley to serve as White House counsel, but later opted to give that role to David Warrington, a lawyer who has represented him in civil litigation arising from the events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
Shortly after Trump took the oath of office, a trio of lawsuits were filed in federal court in Washington, aiming to halt Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” until it adheres to transparency regulations regarding governmental advisory bodies.
The complaints assert that the initiative announced by Trump to combat government waste breaches the Federal Advisory Committee Act by involving private individuals in the government decision-making process without the public access mandated by law.
In the days following his election in November, Trump expressed his intention to establish DOGE, led by Musk alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. He referenced the proposed department during his inaugural speech, and aides indicated he plans to issue an executive order that same day to formalize this efficiency-focused initiative.
Ramaswamy recently stepped back from involvement in the project to pursue the governorship in Ohio, but he and Musk had previously proposed ideas including the "large scale firing of government employees" randomly selected from lists of such personnel.
Although the president cannot establish official government departments without legislation passed by Congress, Trump appears determined to label his anti-bureaucracy initiative as a department nevertheless.
One lawsuit, initiated by Public Citizen, the State Democracy Defenders Fund, and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, argues that DOGE violates FACA, which the suit claims aims to prevent initiatives from “turning into vehicles for advancing private interests in the federal decision-making process.”
Other lawsuits have been filed by National Security Counselors, Democracy Forward, and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
A fourth lawsuit, filed on Monday by the Center for Biological Diversity, seeks access to all records related to DOGE from the Office of Management and Budget.
Indicators suggest that the incoming Trump administration anticipated legal challenges to this cost-saving initiative. In December, Trump appointed Washington election lawyer William McGinley as general counsel for the project.
Previously, Trump had chosen McGinley to serve as White House counsel, but later opted to give that role to David Warrington, a lawyer who has represented him in civil litigation arising from the events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
