Topline:

A handful of Democratic states have filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump, challenging his decision to grant Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to Treasury payment systems. This legal action follows Musk’s recent re-hiring of a staff member who resigned due to a scandal involving racist social media posts, further intensifying the controversy surrounding DOGE.

8:00 p.m. EST, Feb. 7 - Nineteen Democratic state attorneys-general are suing Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, alleging that granting DOGE access to the government’s payment systems violates the law, jeopardizes personal information, and may allow DOGE to slash federally approved spending unconstitutionally.

This legal action comes shortly after 3:13 p.m. EST, Feb. 7 - Marko Elez, a DOGE staffer who recently stepped down following the revelation of his racist comments, was announced to be returning to the agency by Musk, who remarked on social media, "To err is human, to forgive divine." This announcement followed support from Vice President J.D. Vance for Elez's reinstatement.

Just hours prior, 2:55 p.m. EST, Feb. 7 - Forbes highlighted troubling social media posts from another DOGE employee, Gavin Kliger, which included offensive remarks about political figures and anti-immigration sentiments. Similarly, 2:41 p.m. EST, Feb. 7 - reports surfaced detailing the firing of 19-year-old DOGE agent Edward Coristine from a previous internship due to leaking sensitive information.

The controversy surrounding DOGE emphasizes the increasingly problematic situation as Musk, on 9:14 a.m. EST, Feb. 7, put up a poll on his social media platform asking whether Elez should be reinstated. With 80% of respondents supporting his return, Musk disregarded previous concerns about Elez's offensive online presence, describing his posts as merely "inappropriate."

8:09 p.m. EST, Feb. 6 - Concerns about Musk's influence prompted Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Ore., to resign from the DOGE panel, deeming Musk an "unelected billionaire" intent on using DOGE to undermine government structures and services essential for many American citizens.

Initially, Elez had resigned amid scrutiny from The Wall Street Journal, unveiling his connections to an account that espoused racist views and supporting a controversial "eugenic immigration policy." Following this scandal, Musk had publicly acknowledged the problematic nature of Elez's online behavior.

2:55 p.m. EST, Feb. 6 - Amid the backlash, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed DOGE is not tampering with government payment systems but is merely conducting an "operational review" aimed at increasing government efficiency.

Feb. 8, 2025 - The unfolding events have cast a long shadow over the efficacy and integrity of the work being conducted by Elon Musk’s DOGE as they stride into significant facets of government spending and infrastructure, challenging long-standing practices and raising alarms regarding privacy and legal compliance.

For more in-depth coverage, visit Forbes.