{"id":2431173,"date":"2025-05-05T19:26:04","date_gmt":"2025-05-05T23:26:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doge-access-to-personal-data-is-legal-doj-argues-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-05-05T19:28:50","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T23:28:50","slug":"doge-access-to-personal-data-is-legal-doj-argues-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doge-access-to-personal-data-is-legal-doj-argues-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"DOGE access to personal data is legal, DOJ argues &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdoge-access-to-personal-data-is-legal-doj-argues-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2431173&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently argued before the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) should be allowed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-rendered-nearly-speechless-at-white-house-reacting-to-trumps-nato-comments\/\" title=\"Biden left speechless by Trump&#039;s NATO remarks at White House\">access personal data<\/a> from various federal agencies without judicial scrutiny. DOJ attorney Jack Starcher contended that a lower court&#8217;s injunction against DOGE was unfounded, as its data access practices complied with the Privacy Act. He pointed out that many non-DOGE employees already had similar access and emphasized that this case could set a precedent that would require judicial oversight for every data access decision made by federal agencies. The legal challenge against DOGE was initiated by the American Federation of Teachers and other groups, claiming it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hackers-post-personal-info-of-thousands-of-k-12-students-to-dark-web\/\" title=\"Hackers Post Personal Info of Thousands of K...12 Students to \u2018Dark Web\u2019\">accessed personal information<\/a> without sufficient justification. The appellate judges expressed concern about the implications of such access, with Judge Bruce King highlighting the significance of the private information at stake. The case is part of a broader scrutiny regarding DOGE&#8217;s methods and the legitimacy of its data access strategy.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">DOGE access to personal data is legal, DOJ argues<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2113841\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice-department\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Department of Justice\">Department of Justice<\/a> argued to an appellate court on Monday that the Department of Government Efficiency&rsquo;s access to data stored within a trio of federal agencies should not be scrutinized by the courts.<\/p>\n<p>DOJ attorney Jack Starcher told a three-judge panel of the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals that it should toss out a lower court&rsquo;s injunction against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-government-efficiency\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">DOGE<\/a> because its access to personal data across the various agencies aligned with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/privacy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Privacy Act<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3401500\/gop-senators-communications-biden-white-house-doj-trump-indictments\/\">GOP senators demand communications between Biden White House and DOJ over Trump indictments<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/3401320\/democratic-states-hhs-lawsuit-trump-administration\/\">Democratic states sue Trump administration over HHS cuts<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3400188\/luigi-mangione-state-murder-charges-evidence-suppressed\/\">Luigi Mangione requests state murder charges be dropped, evidence suppressed<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;The implication of this case is that suddenly every single one of those [access] decisions is subject to some sort of need-to-know judicial supervision. That&rsquo;s never happened before,&rdquo; Starcher said.<\/p>\n<p>He argued that the panel should vacate the injunction issued by Maryland-based Judge Deborah Boardman, a Biden appointee, blocking certain DOGE employees from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/feds-jeopardized-security-of-1m-americans-online-accounts-citing-equity\/\" title=\"Feds Jeopardized Security Of 1M Americans\u2019 Online Accounts, Citing \u2018Equity\u2019\">accessing sensitive data<\/a> within the Treasury and Education departments and the Office of Personnel Management.<\/p>\n<p>Starcher noted that at Treasury alone, hundreds of non-DOGE employees already had access to the same data and that the Privacy Act ensured that DOGE and non-DOGE employees alike would handle the data responsibly.<\/p>\n<p>Trump created DOGE when he took office and ordered it to spend the first roughly 18 months of his presidency modernizing government technology to help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/musk-tells-trump-hed-serve-on-a-commission-to-address-nations-government-spending-crisis\/\" title=\"Musk Tells Trump He&#039;d Serve on a Commission to Address Nation&#039;s Government Spending Crisis\">identify wasteful spending<\/a> within the executive branch. DOGE staffers have on a rolling basis been assigned to various agencies to review data-keeping systems, according to the government.<\/p>\n<p>Starcher&rsquo;s arguments were made as part of a lawsuit brought by the American Federation of Teachers and other unions and individuals, who argued that about two dozen DOGE affiliates accessed personal information without showing any need for that access, in violation of the Privacy Act.<\/p>\n<p>The case came as several courts have weighed lawsuits about DOGE&rsquo;s access to people&rsquo;s sensitive information, including their Social Security numbers, loan information, financial records, and addresses.<\/p>\n<p>Starcher&rsquo;s arguments mirrored those made in one such case Friday by Solicitor General John Sauer to the Supreme Court. The high court has yet to weigh in on any case related to DOGE&rsquo;s access.<\/p>\n<p>Sauer asked the justices to halt an injunction issued by Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander, another Maryland-based judge appointed by Obama, that barred DOGE from accessing Social Security Administration records.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Respondents cannot plausibly claim any concrete injury from having particular agency employees&mdash;i.e., members of the SSA DOGE team&mdash;access their information when those employees are subject to the same legal and ethical obligations against further dissemination that bind all agency employees,&rdquo; Sauer wrote. &ldquo;Respondents do not suffer any concrete injury based on which SSA employees have access to their data subject to those safeguards.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The three-judge panel, consisting of Judges Bruce King, G. Steven Agee, and Julius Richardson, also recently weighed in on that case as part of the full circuit&rsquo;s 9-6 decision to keep the Social Security Administration injunction against DOGE in place. Agee and Richardson, both Republican-appointed judges, sided with the minority.<\/p>\n<p>King, the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >lone judge appointed<\/a> by a Democrat on the three-judge panel, sided with the majority and made his skepticism of DOGE apparent during Monday&rsquo;s oral arguments.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;What are we talking about here? A lot of private information, my friend,&rdquo; King said. &ldquo;Stacks on stacks of private information.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/3399860\/trump-supreme-court-doge-access-social-security-systems\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ASKS SUPREME COURT TO ALLOW DOGE TO ACCESS TO SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEMS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Supreme Court asked for a response by May 12 in that case, but Starcher asked the three judges of the 4th Circuit not to wait on that case to vacate the injunction that was the subject of Monday&rsquo;s oral arguments.<\/p>\n<p>Starcher said that waiting was unnecessary because he was &ldquo;confident&rdquo; the high court would rule in the Trump administration&rsquo;s favor.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2113841\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2113841\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOJ claims DOGE&#8217;s data access is lawful, urges court to dismiss scrutiny<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":2431174,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Elon-Musk-2187754492.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[23466,7076,33741,42626,32076],"class_list":["post-2431173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-doge","tag-doj","tag-legality","tag-personal-data","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Elon-Musk-2187754492.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431173","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2431173"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431173\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2431177,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431173\/revisions\/2431177"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2431174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2431173"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2431173"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2431173"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}