Lawsuit Seeks to Compel DOGE to Comply with FOIA

| 0

The First Amendment Coalition and MWS Media jointly filed a lawsuit seeking to compel  DOGE to respond to requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act.

Both entities filed FOIA requests with DOGE that have gone without a response for well over the allowed 30 days.

In a previous court case, the government claimed the “Department of Government Efficiency” is not subject to FOIA due to being organized as a “component” of the Executive Office of the President that merely “reports to the White House Chief of Staff.” The executive order which created it set it up as a subset of a White House IT team. The President cannot create a government department. That power is reserved for Congress. The government has also claimed in court that Elon Musk is not the head of DOGE, although Donald Trump has repeatedly mentioned that he is.

The lawsuit asserts DOGE has repeatedly acted as an agency, wielding considerable authority separately from the President, and is therefore subject to FOIA. The lawsuit further asserts that Musk is in charge of DOGE.

FAC and MWS Media ask the court to declare that DOGE is an agency subject to FOIA, make it answer requests for information made to it under FOIA, order relief “as appropriate,” award costs and attorney’s fees, and expedite its ruling.

Click here for more information.