Judge Partially Removes Restrictions on DOGE Access to Sensitive Treasury Information

April 12, 2025 TruthUSA

A court has allowed DOGE conditional access to Treasury payment systems, lifting an earlier ban amid a lawsuit involving 19 Democrat-led states.

A federal judge in New York has partially removed restrictions preventing members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive U.S. Treasury systems, granting one DOGE staffer conditional access to federal payment information.

In an opinion released on April 11, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that Ryan Wunderly, a DOGE team member, can access the Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Services (BFS) systems—on the condition that he completes the necessary hands-on training typically required for Treasury employees and submits a financial disclosure report.

The BFS payment systems manage the personal and financial data of millions of Americans, which includes Social Security and bank account numbers. Established by President Donald Trump on his first day in office, DOGE’s mission is to identify inefficiencies in federal operations as part of Trump’s initiative to minimize government spending.

This ruling follows a lawsuit filed on February 7 by 19 Democrat-led states, claiming that political appointees in DOGE pose risks to privacy and cybersecurity and should not be allowed access to such sensitive systems. The states contended that the Treasury acted arbitrarily by granting access without proper vetting, training, or oversight.

In late February, Vargas issued a preliminary injunction, preventing Treasury from granting access to DOGE members until specific procedural safeguards were instituted. These safeguards included confirmation of training, careful vetting, and the implementation of risk mitigation procedures. At that time, the court observed that DOGE’s rollout at the Treasury was “chaotic and haphazard.”

In her April 11 decision, Vargas stated that the government’s response—comprising 12 sworn declarations across 54 pages—effectively addressed several of the court’s initial concerns, particularly regarding Wunderly.

“The Government’s comprehensive submissions … largely resolve those issues,” she noted, referencing the previous ambiguity surrounding security clearances, reporting structures, hiring authorities, and training protocols.

Vargas also dismissed the states’ argument that Wunderly’s incomplete training should prevent him from gaining access, suggesting that such reasoning constituted a Catch-22.

“The sole reason Wunderly has not undergone the necessary hands-on training is due to the existing preliminary injunction that restricts him from accessing the BFS payment systems,” she explained.

The court mandated that Wunderly complete the hands-on training—and submit his OGE 278 financial disclosure report—prior to receiving full access.

Additionally, the judge required Wunderly to file his OGE 278 financial disclosure report before access is granted, addressing the states’ concerns that he must first clear an ethics conflict check. Treasury officials confirmed that Wunderly has completed all other mandatory training and background checks necessary for Treasury personnel with similar data access privileges, the judge acknowledged.

A spokesperson for the Treasury did not immediately provide a comment regarding the ruling.

Separately, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., has also ruled on DOGE’s access to Treasury systems. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly initially imposed restrictions and subsequently lifted them, concluding that plaintiffs had not demonstrated any probable irreparable harm.

She remarked that there was no indication that DOGE employees intended to misuse or improperly disclose sensitive information.

Critics of DOGE have expressed concerns over its rapid integration into key federal operations. DOGE officials claim they have achieved savings of $150 billion for the government through audits of federal agencies that led to grant cancellations, asset sales, workforce reductions, and contract terminations.

Legal challenges to DOGE’s authority and operations continue across multiple jurisdictions.

Source link

You May Also Like

Extradition documents reveal US soldier Isaac Calderon admitted to vaping before crash that left UK nurse unable to walk

Steve Guttenberg’s Wife Tells Newsmax: Husband and Neighbors Are ‘Battling Fires Alone’

North Korea: US-South Korea Drills Deemed a ‘Provocative Threat’

Leave a Reply Cancel reply