A major labor union has taken legal action against the US Treasury, claiming it improperly allowed Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to access sensitive financial and personal data.
The lawsuit, filed on February 3 by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), argues that the Treasury violated federal laws by sharing private information without proper authorization.
The AFL-CIO calls this a serious privacy breach, stating, “People who must share information with the federal government should not be forced to share information with Elon Musk or his ‘DOGE’”.
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Concerns about DOGE’s role intensified after Senator Ron Wyden posted on Bluesky that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had granted Musk’s team full access to the department’s payment system.
He warned that the Treasury’s system is exposed to Musk’s influence, saying he could use the data for his own purposes. This system contains names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and bank account details of millions of people.
Wyden had already raised concerns about DOGE’s involvement on January 31, asking for clarity on its authority and oversight.
This legal action follows growing concerns from top Democrats, who have questioned the extent of DOGE’s role. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Elizabeth Warren spoke out against the situation at a press conference on February 3.
Meanwhile, DOGE recently faced legal action against National Security Counselors, a public-interest law firm. What were the allegations? Read the full story.
