Latest news with #JeannetteVargas
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Judge allows DOGE to access Treasury payment system
A federal judge on Tuesday allowed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team embedded at the Treasury Department to access the sensitive system used to dole out trillions of dollars in government payments. In response to a lawsuit filed by Democratic-led states, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas had blocked the access in February. She agreed to modify the ruling after the administration indicated the team went through vetting, training and security clearance procedures like other Treasury employees. The states did not oppose the modification. Vargas's new order extends access to four DOGE team members: Thomas Krause, Linda Whitridge, Samuel Corcos and Todd Newnam. Last month, the judge allowed another member of the team, Ryan Wunderly, to access the system. They all can now access the payment system at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which handles nearly 90 percent of federal payments. The judge also permitted the Treasury Department to provide access to future DOGE employees if they have gone through the same procedures. Vargas is an appointee of former President Biden who serves in New York. 'There is little utility in having this Court function as Treasury's de facto human resources officer each time a new team member is onboarded,' Vargas wrote. DOGE's efforts to implant itself at agencies across the federal bureaucracy has sparked a wave of litigation. Though some cases deal with efforts to dismantle certain agencies, many of the suits seek to block DOGE personnel from gaining access to sensitive government systems. The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to lift another judge's ruling blocking DOGE's access to systems at the Social Security Administration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Judge allows DOGE to access Treasury payment system
A federal judge on Tuesday allowed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team embedded at the Treasury Department to access the sensitive system used to dole out trillions of dollars in government payments. In response to a lawsuit filed by Democratic-led states, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas had blocked the access in February. She agreed to modify the ruling after the administration indicated the team went through vetting, training and security clearance procedures like other Treasury employees. The states did not oppose the modification. Vargas's new order extends access to four DOGE team members: Thomas Krause, Linda Whitridge, Samuel Corcos and Todd Newnam. Last month, the judge allowed another member of the team, Ryan Wunderly, to access the system. They all can now access the payment system at the Bureau of Fiscal Service, which handles nearly 90 percent of federal payments. The judge also permitted the Treasury Department to provide access to future DOGE employees if they have gone through the same procedures. Vargas is an appointee of former President Biden who serves in New York. 'There is little utility in having this Court function as Treasury's de facto human resources officer each time a new team member is onboarded,' Vargas wrote. DOGE's efforts to implant itself at agencies across the federal bureaucracy has sparked a wave of litigation. Though some cases deal with efforts to dismantle certain agencies, many of the suits seek to block DOGE personnel from gaining access to sensitive government systems. The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to lift another judge's ruling blocking DOGE's access to systems at the Social Security Administration.
Washington Post
28-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
DOGE employees may access sensitive Treasury data, judge rules
A federal judge in New York cleared a path Tuesday for the Treasury Department's DOGE team to access data systems that contain sensitive financial information on millions of Americans, stating in her ruling that the Trump administration had complied with earlier requests to demonstrate it is equipped to properly screen and train employees before granting them access. U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas's ruling allows four U.S. DOGE Service employees at the Treasury Department to access the infrastructure, and opens a path for other employees of Elon Musk's DOGE team to be granted access without judicial approval so long as they undergo training and vetting procedures. 'There is little utility in having this Court function as Treasury's de facto human resources officer each time a new team member is onboarded,' Vargas wrote in court documents filed Tuesday. In February, a coalition of 19 state attorneys general sued the Trump administration over DOGE's activities at Treasury. A federal judge issued an emergency order prohibiting DOGE employees from accessing the data, noting the possibility for irreparable harm. (Treasury's payment system is known to contain social security numbers, home addresses and bank account information.) Later that month, Vargas upheld the ban, stating that there was a public interest in protecting personal and banking information housed at the department's Bureau of Fiscal Service, where systems are generally only used by a small number of civil servants. She gave the Trump administration a chance to alleviate her concerns by providing evidence of efforts to safeguard that data by March 24. She asked for details on what training DOGE members at Treasury have or will have on handling sensitive data; what security clearances they have or will receive; as well as a rundown of the chain of command for DOGE employees assigned to the department. 'Taking the time to adequately mitigate potential security concerns and properly onboard members to engage in this work outweighs the Defendants' immediate need to access and redevelop Treasury systems,' Vargas wrote at the time. In April, Vargas modified her order to grant access to a single DOGE staffer at Treasury who received the same vetting and training as other Treasury employees. On Tuesday, she granted access to three more DOGE employees, stating that they had undergone similar processes and mitigation procedures. DOGE — which stands for the Department of Government Efficiency — has faced several lawsuits over its attempts to access sensitive and classified records at various government agencies, as well as over Musk's unprecedented influence in the government as a temporary employee of the White House who has not been confirmed or vetted by Congress. DOGE employees have either accessed or shown interest in sensitive data systems at the IRS, the Social Security Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services. DOGE representatives have also sought access to a powerful database of nearly all U.S. workers' earnings kept by the health department's child support office, The Washington Post reported in March. Shayna Jacobs contributed to this report.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Judge extends block on Musk's DOGE from Treasury systems
(Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Friday extended a block on Elon Musk's government cost-cutting team known as DOGE from accessing Treasury Department systems responsible for trillions of dollars in payments. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan granted a request from 19 Democratic state attorneys general for a preliminary injunction on DOGE's access to the systems, pending the outcome of their lawsuit. The states cited a risk that sensitive information could be improperly disclosed, and said DOGE had no legal authority to access the systems.
Reuters
21-02-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Judge extends block on Musk's DOGE from Treasury systems
Feb 21 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Friday extended a block on Elon Musk 's government cost-cutting team known as DOGE from accessing Treasury Department systems responsible for trillions of dollars in payments. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan granted a request from 19 Democratic state attorneys general for a preliminary injunction on DOGE's access to the systems, pending the outcome of their lawsuit. The states cited a risk that sensitive information could be improperly disclosed, and said DOGE had no legal authority to access the systems.
