Judge bars Musk's DOGE team from Social Security records in scathing ruling

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Thu Mar 20, 2025, 05:04 PM - Edit history (3)

Source: CNBC

Published Thu, Mar 20 2025 3:51 PM EDT Updated 3 Min Ago


A federal judge Thursday issued a temporary restraining order barring Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency team from getting access to personally identifiable information from the Social Security Administration. Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander in a scathing ruling accused DOGE of launching a “fishing expedition” at the Social Security agency and failing to provide any reason why it needed to access vast swaths of Americans’ personal and private data.

The order in U.S. District Court in Baltimore blocks the Social Security Administration, acting commissioner Leland Dudek and chief information officer Michael Russo, as well as all related agents and employees working with them, from granting access to any system containing personally identifiable information.

Per the lawsuit, personally identifiable information is defined as information that can be used to identify an individual, either on its own or when combined with other information. That includes Social Security numbers, medical records, mental health records, medical provider information, medical and mental health treatment records, employer and employee payment records, employee earnings, addresses, bank records and tax information. The judge also ordered the DOGE team members and affiliates to delete all non-anonymized personally identifiable information in their possession or control that they have accessed “directly or indirectly” since Jan. 20.

Hollander, noting the affiliates of DOGE have kept their identities hidden, wrote, “ironically, the identity of these DOGE affiliates has been concealed because defendants are concerned that the disclosure of even their names would expose them to harassment and thus invade their privacy.” “The defense does not appear to share a privacy concern for the millions of Americans whose SSA records were made available to the DOGE affiliates, without their consent,” the judge wrote.

Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/20/judge-bars-musks-doge-team-from-social-security-records.html

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Link to RULING (PDF) - https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.577321/gov.uscourts.mdd.577321.49.0.pdf

Article FINALLY updated.

Previous article -

Published Thu, Mar 20 2025 3:51 PM EDT Updated 2 Min Ago

A federal judge Thursday issued a temporary restraining order barring Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency team from getting access to personally identifiable information from the Social Security Administration. Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander in a scathing ruling accused DOGE of launching a "fishing expedition" at the Social Security agency and failing to provide any reason why it needed to access vast swaths of Americans' personal and private data.

The order in U.S. District Court in Baltimore blocks the Social Security Administration, acting commissioner Leland Dudek and chief information officer Michael Russo, as well as all related agents and employees working with them, from granting access to any system containing personally identifiable information.

Per the lawsuit, personally identifiable information is defined as information that can be used to identify an individual, either on its own or when combined with other information.

Hollander, noting the affiliates of DOGE have kept their identities hidden, wrote, "ironically, the identity of these DOGE affiliates has been concealed because defendants are concerned that the disclosure of even their names would expose them to harassment and thus invade their privacy."

Original article -

Published Thu, Mar 20 2025 3:51 PM EDT


A federal judge Thursday issued a temporary restraining order barring Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency team from getting access to personally identifiable information from the Social Security Administration.

This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.

[BoRaGard]

1. Take that, you anti-American republicon, you

[NotHardly]

15. DOGE gets privacy but not citizens.. yeah, not hypocrites at all

[North Coast Lawyer]

17. Silly Rabbit Poor People Aren't Citzens

Only wealthy white men are citizens. All laws to the contrary are fake and/or illegal don't you know.

[SunSeeker]

2. But the horse has left the barn, sadly.

Musk has had plenty of time to hoover up everyone's data.

[purrmaid]

7. Unchop that tree!

[bamagal62]

11. yep. Can't undo it.

[chowder66]

3. Where's the scathing part?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

8. Among other things, DOGE asked for a huge bond and the judge set the bond at $750

For a judicial ruling there is some fun stuff

[dweller]

9. The ruling , 137 pages , must scathe somewhere

https://assets.bwbx.io/documents/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/rTlaSujjDQNA/v0




✌🏻

[chowder66]

16. I went to the article link and it didn't have much of anything but said it was scathing.

There is more there now.

Thanks.

[crimycarny]

12. I read through some of the court docket

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.577321/gov.uscourts.mdd.577321.49.0.pdf

It is frightening reading through what DOGE is trying to do and just how clueless they are, Here is an example (the bolding is my emphasis):

The information DOGE sought seemed to fall into three categories: (1) untrue
allegations regarding benefit payments to deceased people of advanced age; (2)
concern regarding single Social Security numbers receiving multiple benefits
(which is normal when multiple family members receive benefits through one
wage-earner); and (3) payments made to people without a Social Security number.
In Flick’s view, these concerns were “invalid and based on an inaccurate understanding of
SSA’s data and programs.” Id. ¶ 19.

She explains, id.:
As to the first [category], SSA’s benefits’ file contradicts any claim that payments
are made to deceased people as old as 150 years. As to the second issue, DOGE
seemed to misunderstand the fact that benefits payments to spouses and dependents
will be based on the Social Security number of a single worker. As to the third
[category], we were simply never given enough information to understand the
source of the concern but had never encountered anything to suggest that
inappropriate benefit payments were being made to people without a Social
Security number.

Imagine if the DOGE morons decided to cut benefits to someone who was getting their spouse's SS after their spouse passed because DOGE doesn't have the even the most basic understanding of how SS works.

They also tried to force through giving full access to SSA information to a DOGE contractor despite him not passing a background check.

[Magoo48]

24. Nothing has scathed, let alone mildly interrupted, these Nazi knuckleheads since the rampage began.

[Bluetus]

35. And where's the part about enforcement of the order?

Robert' SCOTUS knows what a mess they have created, but now Roberts faces what, to him, is an even greater problem. Trump has already shown that he fully intends to disregard any ruling he doesn't like. There still could be a possibility that if SCOTUS affirmed the lower court, Trump would back off.

But there is, IMHO, a much greater probability that Trump would ignore the SCOTUS, just as he ignores the other courts. I mean, why would he change at this point?

So Roberts has to assume that if they EVER issue ANY ruling Trump doesn't like, it will be met with "The Supreme Court just made a bad ruling. I hereby declare it null and void." Lacking any enforcement power, that would be the end of the SCOTUS forever.

Roberts really has no choice. He cannot allow the SCOTUS to take any case where the SCOTUS would rule against Trump.

We have been in a "Constitutional crisis" at least since 2000. I wonder if any of these weenies that keep saying "Golly, we could maybe possibly some day soon be looking at something that feels a little like a Constitutional crisis" are starting to get it -- 25 YEARS TOO LATE.

[JBTaurus83]

4. Cool, another ruling to ignore

with no consequence.

[Magoo48]

25. When they know you don't mean it, it's just embarrassing.

Every time we don’t back up what we say with effective action, we become weaker and more impotent. At this point, the cautions, the pronouncements, the judgments, and the hollow threats are simply further embarrassments and more proof that our democracy is fading. In my opinion, we need progressive leaders, both past and present, leaders with gravitas and enthusiasm, to usher us into the streets by the millions. Progressive States should be creating mutual aid alliances.

[Baron2024]

29. It Is A Good Point

We need good leaders to usher us into the streets by the millions. You are exactly right.

[MayReasonRule]

5. PDF Of Full MEMORANDUM OPINION

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.577321/gov.uscourts.mdd.577321.49.0.pdf

The American public may well applaud and support the Trump Administration’s mission
to root out fraud, waste, and bloat from federal agencies, including SSA, to the extent it exists.
But, by what means and methods?

The DOGE Team is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA, in search of a fraud
epidemic, based on little more than suspicion. It has launched a search for the proverbial needle
in the haystack, without any concrete knowledge that the needle is actually in the haystack.
To facilitate the expedition, SSA provided members of the SSA DOGE Team with
unbridled access to the personal and private data of millions of Americans, including but not
limited to Social Security numbers, medical records, mental health records, hospitalization records,
drivers’ license numbers, bank and credit card information, tax information, income history, work
history, birth and marriage certificates, and home and work addresses.

Yet, defendants, with so called experts on the DOGE Team, never identified or articulated
even a single reason for which the DOGE Team needs unlimited access to SSA’s entire record
systems, thereby exposing personal, confidential, sensitive, and private information that millions
of Americans entrusted to their government. Indeed, the government has not even attempted to
explain why a more tailored, measured, titrated approach is not suitable to the task. Instead, the
government simply repeats its incantation of a need to modernize the system and uncover fraud.

Its method of doing so is tantamount to hitting a fly with a sledgehammer.

In my view, plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their claim that such action is arbitrary and
capricious, and in violation of the Privacy Act and the APA. Plaintiffs have also demonstrated
that their members will suffer irreparable harm in the absence of a TRO, the equities tip in their
favor, and the TRO serves the public interest.

For the foregoing reasons, plaintiffs’ Motion (ECF 21) is granted. A Temporary
Restraining Order shall issue.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

6. Here is a link to the ruling

Link to tweet

This will be fun reading-137 pages
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.577321/gov.uscourts.mdd.577321.49.0.pdf

[progressoid]

10. And will the police give a shit?

[diverdownjt]

39. And when they completely ignore the ruling.....

THEN WHAT? Call the U.S. Marshalls....they are with them. Call the FBI...crazy eyes runs that one...So again I say THEN WHAT?

I share your scepticism progressoid.

[Martin68]

13. The list of laws DOGE broke is quite impressive.

[JoseBalow]

14. More judicial "consequences"

[Magoo48]

26. More? Have there been any yet?

[DENVERPOPS]

18. Since when

Has Trump or any of his CABAL followed ANY JUDGES ORDERS THE PAST TEN YEARS??????????

[Ruby the Liberal]

19. Toothpaste isn't going back in the tube

Nice to have it on the record, but any data the incel squad has been able to access is already compromised (and most likely copied off to an AI data center like the monster ones Musk owns in Memphis and Atlanta )

[orangecrush]

20. To quite a certain South American dictator...

"😂 Oopsie, too late"

[calimary]

21. Make it PERMANENT!!!

No temporary restraining order. A PERMANENT one.

I don’t have anything incriminating in my records but I STILL don’t want that bastard’s goons looking into MY paperwork, DAMMIT!!!

[3Hotdogs]

22. T.R.O. (Temporary Restraining Order) is to allow respondent time to prepare for full arguments at a later date.

[Bread and Circuses]

23. I thank Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander for her bravery; However-they will steal....

DOGE’s Hitler Youth Hackers will steal whatever they want and continue to load back door code to alter, copy or destroy the federal databases. I suspect that experienced software programmers are providing the code and that Russian spies have copies of all federal databases.

Republicans lie, cheat, steal all day long. That’s all they do , DOGE is a scam and will be the scapegoat after they have what they want. And, they’ll be stealing money and diverting payments to Musk, et al. #47 will get his cut of the money too.

[Bayard]

27. Bravo, Judge Hollander!

We know the little varmints want as much info as possible so they can finish destroying SS.

This makes me feel a little better. At least, for awhile.

[Nixie]

28. All the courts are trending in a very encouraging way.

I like how these results at least make parts of our government recognizable amid this coup.

[Baron2024]

30. Civil Lawsuits

If we can not hold Musk and DOGE criminally responsible right now, as Trump controls the DOJ, we can at least consider a class action civil lawsuit against Musk and his DOGE minions for violating computer privacy laws. Jamie Raskin, constitution expert in the House, has previously explained how this is possible. I think that I posted a video where he described this. I will look for the video and will try to repost it. Anyway, the gist is we might be able to sue Elon Musk for violating computer privacy laws. Imagine if we could cut into his vast fortune via a class action judgment! That would be a great victory and would hit Musk where he lives. In the bank account. Same sort of thing happened to right wing madman Alex Jones over his Sandy Hook lies. Take their money! And maybe one day if Dems regain power we could charge them criminally.

[Baron2024]

32. Here Is The Raskin Video

Here is the Raskin video where he explains how we might be able to sue Elon Musk.

[Cha]

31. And, he wonders why his Damn Teslas

are on FIE.

TY

[Autumn]

33. I'm willing to bet he has all that information already.

Too little too late.

[Aussie105]

34. Temporary restraining order? Don't make me laugh!

Temporary restraining orders only work if the person they are aimed at actually comply.
And Musk isn't likely to take any notice.

Temporary restraining order? Who is going to monitor, who is going to react if Musk's tribe of data pirates break this order?

[Meowmee]

36. Good news

Last edited Fri Mar 21, 2025, 07:51 AM - Edit history (1)

How does he plan to enforce this and stop doge etc. ? I think I posted this reply on another one, but I guess it applies to that too about attacking the Peace foundation with guns, etc. If they’re not going to arrest anybody doing that it’s useless. In this case doge already has the data, so how do we know that they’re going to delete it and if they actually did? They’re a bunch of crooks and liars.

In addition it doesn’t stop them from accessing any data. They should’ve been stopped from accessing any data at all since what they are doing is illegal and they have no clearance to do this.

[Initech]

37. Can we please send Elon and his goons on a one way trip to Mars already?

[lonely bird]

38. Meaningless

The courts no longer apply.

[AmericaUnderSiege]

40. Bullshit.

A "scathing" ruling would have been an immediate order for the US Marshals to escort these random political lobbyists off the premises of US federal institutions, and arrest them if they attempted in any way to access to confidential data. Instead the opposite often happened, showing the collapsed state of the judicial system. Contrary findings are quite tame and play along as much as possible.

[BumRushDaShow]

41. "A "scathing" ruling would have been an immediate order for the US Marshals to escort these random political lobbyists"

You do realize that the U.S. Marshals service is under Pam Bondi's DOJ, right?

[AmericaUnderSiege]

42. Marshals enforce court orders, not executive orders.

If they want to fire Marshals for enforcing court orders, they can try. But so far they haven't even been asked to try, because courts won't do anything to enforce their orders on the occupier regime.

[BumRushDaShow]

43. They are still under DOJ

run by a criminal. And yes, they have "fired" people who have not complied with "their orders". It's called "insubordination" in the government world (and I am a retired fed and know this).

[AmericaUnderSiege]

44. If a judge issues an order and an illegitimate executive countermands it

then law enforcement has a choice about how to respond. It's crucial for the public to know what that choice would be, but the courts have so far refused to put federal law enforcement in the position of making a decision. This zero-faith attitude is as good as surrender to the occupier regime.

Ipso facto, we have no active federal system of law right now. The US Constitution is in a state of suspension, and we are effectively under martial law and foreign occupation.

[BumRushDaShow]

45. We all know what they are *supposed to do*

But they have installed people into the government who had NEVER worked for the government (let alone having the first President in history who had never been a civil servant, in any governmental elected office, or served as a government appointee or in the military), who loathes "government".

I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. I signed the form SF-61 my first day at work 40 years ago -



These people had never done that before and it wouldn't surprise me if the DOGE parasites didn't even bother with such when they were brought in.

They only have loyalty to one person.

[AmericaUnderSiege]

46. Exactly.

It doesn't take reading the Constitution very long to find where these people have no authority under it. So it's pretty bizarre how real constitutional authorities keep trying to avoid legal confrontation with them, and in the process weakening themselves further.

If they perjure themselves, charge them. If they ignore court orders, find them in contempt. Bribed higher court decisions holding these criminals "immune to law" are legally and incompatible with the basic fabric of constitutionalism.

Everybody just needs to do their goddamn jobs now. Like they should have been doing the whole time.