Judge holds unusual holiday hearing in Musk's DOGE case

 Approximately 20 lawsuits have been filed in federal courts disputing Musk's authority

A U.S. judge has scheduled a rare holiday court hearing for Monday in a case brought by Democratic state attorneys general seeking to shield major federal agencies from Elon Musk’s cost-cutting government task force, known as DOGE.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington, D.C., announced the hearing on Sunday, despite Monday being Presidents Day, when federal courts are typically closed.

Chutkan did not specify the reason for the hearing. However, on Friday, she heard arguments from 13 Democratic state attorneys general requesting a temporary restraining order to prevent Musk’s DOGE—short for the Department of Government Efficiency—from accessing information systems at several federal agencies. These include the Departments of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services, Energy, Transportation, Commerce, and the Office of Personnel Management.

DOGE has rapidly moved through federal agencies since last month when Republican President Donald Trump appointed Musk to lead efforts to eliminate wasteful government spending. The initiative is part of Trump’s broader overhaul of the federal government, which included thousands of job cuts on Friday.

The attorneys general have also urged the court to block Musk and DOGE team members from firing or placing government employees on leave. They are seeking a 14-day order to prevent further actions while they prepare legal arguments for a more permanent injunction.

Chutkan has not yet ruled on the request.

The states argue that Musk is exercising powers that require formal appointment as a government officer under the U.S. Constitution’s Appointments Clause, which mandates Senate confirmation. They also contend that DOGE lacks congressional authorization.

Around 20 lawsuits have been filed in federal courts challenging Musk’s authority, with mixed outcomes in early rulings.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in New York extended a temporary order blocking DOGE from accessing Treasury Department systems responsible for managing trillions of dollars in payments. However, that same day, U.S. District Judge John Bates in Washington denied a request from unions and nonprofit organizations to prevent DOGE from accessing records at the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Most judges handling DOGE-related cases have yet to issue decisions.