Donald Trump's administration pushed back against a court order prohibiting Elon Musk and his allies from controlling the federal government's massive payment system and its sensitive private data.
Justice Department lawyers asked Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas to immediately end or modify the court order issued by another federal judge Saturday blocking system access to everyone but career employees who had taken proper training after states sued over access that Musk and other special government employees had been given, reported Politico.
“Basic democratic accountability requires that every executive agency’s work be supervised by politically accountable leadership, who ultimately answer to the president,” DOJ attorneys wrote in the 11-page filing.
DOJ lawyers said they're negotiating with the states on an agreement that would narrow U.S. District judge Paul Engelmayer's order, and Vargas said she would demand an expedited review Monday night if an agreement wasn't reached by 5 p.m.
Vice president J.D. Vance and other Trump allies complained the Engelmayer order was an improper exercise of judicial authority on the executive branch, and the Justice Department urged Vargas to end those restrictions immediately or at least postpone them until additional arguments can be made in court.