A judge ruled that DOGE, led by Elon Musk, is likely subject to FOIA. (AP)
The ruling could force DOGE to become more transparent about its role in the administration's mass firings of the federal workforce, as well as its dismantling of government agencies and decisions to cancel contracts.
"Canceling any government contract would seem to require substantial authority—and canceling them on this scale certainly does," Cooper wrote.
The judge said DOGE "appears to have the power not just to evaluate federal programs, but to drastically reshape and even eliminate them wholesale," which he said the department declined to refute.
Judge Christopher Cooper said DOGE's "operations thus far have been marked by unusual secrecy." (Getty Images)
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"Unfortunately for CREW, it satisfies none of the factors entitling it to preliminary relief ordering production of its OMB requests by today’s date," Cooper wrote.
Instead, the judge ordered for the records to be produced on a "rolling basis as soon as practicable," saying voters and Congress deserve timely information on DOGE given the "unprecedented" authority it was exercising to reshape the government.
This case is one of several lawsuits targeting the administration’s argument that DOGE is not subject to FOIA requests, but the other cases are still in earlier stages.
Reuters contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/judge-rules-doge-likely-subject-public-records-requests-says-department-operating-unusual-secrecy