However, she retained the temporary restraining order against DOGE.
U.S. District Judge Jeanette Vargas clarified a court ruling preventing the U.S. DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] Service from accessing the Treasury Department’s payment systems does not block Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
District Judge Paul Engelmayer had previously issued a temporary restraining order to stop DOGE from accessing Treasury Department data, saying that no employee should access its payment systems “other than civil servants with a need for access to perform their job duties.” Impeachment articles were drafted against the judge by a congressman for judicial overreach.
President Trump’s administration appealed the restraining order and filed to have the injunction removed.
“The government is aware of no example of a court ever trying to micromanage an agency in this way, or sever the political supervision of the Executive Branch in such a manner. This Court should not be the first,” the Justice Department (DOJ) wrote in its court filings.
District Judge Jeannette Vargas reviewed the Justice Department’s motion and kept it in place, making exceptions for the Treasury Secretary and other Treasury officials confirmed by the Senate.
Judge Vargas wrote, “More fundamentally, there are no allegations in the Complaint suggesting that access to Treasury payment systems by such senior Treasury officials poses a threat of disclosure of sensitive and confidential information, or that their access would result in systems that would be more vulnerable to hacking.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Judge Vargas and other district judges to be discerning as they hear challenges to executive branch authority.
- For wisdom for the president and members of his Cabinet as they appeal rulings and injunctions against their actions.
Sources: The Hill, AP News, NY Times
