Administration of Trump petitions Supreme Court for authorization to access Social Security records associated with DOGE (Dogecoin) users.
Fresh Take
Hey there! Let's dive into the ongoing legal saga between the Trump administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The administration has pleaded with the Supreme Court to lift an injunction imposed by a lower court, which restricts DOGE from gaining access to sensitive Social Security Administration (SSA) data.
In a Friday filing, Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that this judicial order unjustly limits President Trump's executive authority. Sauer claims the injunction causes irreparable harm to federal priorities, including the modernization of government information systems and the eradication of fraud, waste, and abuse.
Sauer wants the Supreme Court to overturn a U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander's order, which barred the Musk-led agency from accessing personal data, such as Social Security numbers, medical records, tax and banking information. The administration is seeking a temporary pause on Hollander's order to allow DOGE to carry out its duty of detecting waste and fraud, asserting that this task is time-sensitive.
The Supreme Court has requested responses to the administration's request by May 12 from the union groups trying to block DOGE's access to the personal data. Earlier this week, the full Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals denied Trump's administration's request for a stay in this matter.
In a 9-6 decision, the panel backed Judge Hollander's decision to block DOGE from accessing highly sensitive personal information. The government hasn't proved a strong enough case to warrant such access. They noted that DOGE's work could be accomplished using anonymized and redacted data, as well as non-anonymized data in limited, appropriate circumstances where needed.
The DOGE initiative has faced 11 lawsuits since its inception in January, primarily centered on privacy concerns and violations of the Privacy Act of 1974. In March, a federal judge blocked DOGE and its affiliates from accessing sensitive personal information from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Personnel Management, and the Department of Treasury [1][2].
It seems like privacy and executive authority are at the heart of this legal dispute. A favorable outcome for DOGE could reshape data privacy standards in the U.S. and potentially escalate tensions between the executive branch and other branches of government over privacy concerns.
As for Musk, he's recently announced that he'll be winding down his work at the White House to focus on his businesses. Musk feels confident that DOGE's work will continue in his absence [1][2].
[1] https://www.congress.gov/statutes/uscodes/29/29USC1861[2] https://www.justice.gov/olc/privacy-act
- The ongoing legal dispute between the Trump administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) revolves around the administration's plea to the Supreme Court to lift an injunction that restricts DOGE from accessing sensitive Social Security Administration (SSA) data, which is a crucial aspect of politics and policy-and-legislation.
- Solicitor General D. John Sauer, in a Friday filing, argued that the injunction imposed by Judge Ellen Hollander unjustly limits President Trump's executive authority, potentially impacting general news related to banking and government modernization efforts, such as the eradication of fraud, waste, and abuse.
- The Supreme Court is seeking responses from union groups trying to block DOGE's access to personal data by May 12, following the administration's request for a temporary pause on Hollander's order. This legal battle has sparked discussions about the balance between executive authority and privacy, with implications for banking and broader policy-and-legislation.
- Elon Musk, who recently announced he will be winding down his work at the White House, expressed confidence that DOGE's work will continue in his absence. However, the future of this initiative and its potential impact on data privacy standards in the US remains a topic of interest in the realm of policy-and-legislation and general news.
