Judge Rejects Union Bid to Block DOGE Access to Some Federal Agencies’ Data – EVOL

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) can continue its de facto audit of certain executive agencies, according to a ruling Friday in the District of Columbia.U.S. District Judge John Bates in Washington on Feb. 14 declined a request by unions and nonprofits for a temporary restraining order (TRO) to prevent the DOGE team from gaining access to records at the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

In denying the plaintiffs’ request for a restraining order, the judge noted that the plaintiffs failed to show a substantial likelihood of success on the merits of their claims, which centered on the idea that DOGE’s data access policies were illegal because they were implemented without proper rulemaking or legal authority.

The AFL-CIO and other unions argued that DOGE’s ability to access sensitive information systems at the three agencies violates the Privacy Act and the Administrative Procedure Act. They contended that the federal agencies were unlawfully granting DOGE-affiliated personnel access to sensitive records without legal authority, as DOGE does not qualify as an agency employee under the Privacy

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