The Trump administration on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to set aside a judge's order requiring Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to answer questions and disclose documents about its operations.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, D.C. ordered DOGE to turn over some records to the watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), after finding that DOGE was likely a government agency covered by the federal Freedom of Information Act.
Cooper also said CREW was entitled to question DOGE's Acting Administrator Amy Gleason at a deposition. A federal appeals court declined on May 14 to put Cooper's order on hold.
President Donald Trump created DOGE in an executive order on January 20, the day he began his second White House term.
In seeking an emergency stay from the Supreme Court, Solicitor General John Sauer said Cooper's "extraordinarily overbroad and intrusive" order would distract DOGE from its mission to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse in the federal government.
He also called the order "an untenable affront to separation of powers," and said the government would likely succeed in showing that DOGE is a White House body exempt from FOIA, which lets the public review government records.
"This Court has rejected similar fishing expeditions into sensitive executive-branch functions, and it should not allow this one to proceed," Sauer wrote.
The case is In re US DOGE Service et al, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 24A1122.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, D.C. ordered DOGE to turn over some records to the watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), after finding that DOGE was likely a government agency covered by the federal Freedom of Information Act.
Cooper also said CREW was entitled to question DOGE's Acting Administrator Amy Gleason at a deposition. A federal appeals court declined on May 14 to put Cooper's order on hold.
President Donald Trump created DOGE in an executive order on January 20, the day he began his second White House term.
In seeking an emergency stay from the Supreme Court, Solicitor General John Sauer said Cooper's "extraordinarily overbroad and intrusive" order would distract DOGE from its mission to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse in the federal government.
He also called the order "an untenable affront to separation of powers," and said the government would likely succeed in showing that DOGE is a White House body exempt from FOIA, which lets the public review government records.
"This Court has rejected similar fishing expeditions into sensitive executive-branch functions, and it should not allow this one to proceed," Sauer wrote.
The case is In re US DOGE Service et al, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 24A1122.
You may also like
Who is Elias Rodriguez? Suspect arrested for killing two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington
NTPC chief's selection takes search panel route
Train firms need to 'earn the right' to carry Great British Railways rebranding
Freeview matches Sky with new channel launch - check your TV now or you may miss out
TN: Sri Lankan Navy allegedly harasses Nagapattinam fishermen in mid-sea