A federal judge denied a preliminary injunction blocking the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, from accessing personal information held by the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
U.S. District Judge John Bates wrote in a 28-page opinion that the plaintiffs, a coalition of unions and nonprofits, have not proven that access to members’ medical or financial records by DOGE employees would cause irreparable harm.
Bates, a George W. Bush appointee, found that the plaintiffs’ complaint fell short of the high bar set for litigants seeking a preliminary injunction. While DOGE’s access to the information presents a possible invasion of privacy, the judge wrote, the unions and nonprofits offer no evidence that the information is likely to be misused or leaked.
“This conclusion does not mean the harm the members face is insubstantial or that the court harbors no concerns that DOGE affiliates have their hands on some of the most personal information individuals entrust to the government,” Bates writes. “To the contrary, the court’s concerns are as grave as ever, and it stands ready to remedy plaintiffs’ harm should they ultimately succeed on the merits.”
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