Federal judge extends decision blocking DOGE from Treasury payment system

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

02/21/25 8:22 PM ET


A federal judge on Friday extended an earlier decision barring employees with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing a sensitive federal payment system at the Treasury Department. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas partially granted the request of 19 Democratic attorneys general, who are suing to block the DOGE team from the Bureau of Fiscal Service. The system handles 90 percent of federal payments.

However, Vargas narrowed her earlier decision, which had barred all political appointees and special government employees except Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other senior department leaders who received Senate confirmation. Instead of seeking to block a particular category of employees as before, the Democratic attorneys general had asked the court to bar the Trump administration from developing processes to halt payments coming through the payment system.

Vargas rejected this request, saying the states failed to show “they are entitled to the broad and sweeping relief they seek.” Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, who is part of the suit, described Friday’s decision as a “victory for the rule of law and for Nevadans.”

“Our country has systems in place to ensure our government runs smoothly and our citizens are protected, and I will fight back against any effort to unlawfully skirt those protections or dismantle our system of checks and balances,” Ford said in a statement. “By allowing DOGE staff to access Department of Treasury data, President Trump broke the law and endangered the private, personal information of Nevadans and Americans,” he added.

Read more: https://thehill.com/business/5158734-federal-judge-extends-decision-blocking-doge-from-treasury-payment-system/

[NJCher]

1. the judge will give them more leeway

If they meet this criteria, according to the article:

-- Trump administration has to certify that the DOGE team members have to undergo the training that is normally required to access the Fiscal Service
--she wants details about their vetting (LOL) and security clearances (again, LOL).

The latter will doom this request, however, they will probably lie. Will the judge fall for it?

There were a few other requirements but the article doesn't say what they were. If I find out, I'll post back.