Salem, Oregon – Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield has initiated a lawsuit against business magnate Elon Musk, accusing him of an unconstitutional power grab orchestrated by President Trump. Supported by 13 other states, this legal action argues that the President overreached himself by illegally giving Musk vast federal authority without appropriate congressional permission.
The debate revolves on the establishment of the purportedly “Department of Government Efficiency,” under Musk’s direction, which was founded outside of Congress’s permission. Legal experts and state authorities argue that this action violates the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution—which calls for Senate approval for such appointments.
“Elon Musk’s attempt to demolish key government systems has thrown everything into chaos,” said Rayfield. “This power grab puts people’s privacy and security at risk. No one should be able to mess with the systems that keep our country running.”
The lawsuit details multiple concerning actions carried out under Musk’s guidance, including illegal access to private data and the breakdown of current federal systems. Such events have apparently interfered with operations in many state and local administrations, affecting important sectors including law enforcement, healthcare, and education. These industries could potentially be at danger losing billions of federal grants.
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Moreover, the states engaged in the lawsuit contend that Musk’s and the Trump administration’s activities jeopardize national cybersecurity. Without any kind of sufficient control, reports from inside the recently established department indicate that employees have access to significant federal financial databases like state tax records and banking information without any kind of adequate oversight. This has sparked concerns about potential data leaks, hacks, and foreign organizations using the obtained information.
“These are the systems that keep our communities strong. We’re standing up to protect Oregonians and to ensure these vital programs stay under the control of the people, and not in the hands of the president’s designated hatchet man,” said Rayfield.
The case seeks a court ruling declaring Musk’s appointment and later acts to be unlawful. It also seeks to nullify whatever orders Musk has previously issued and stop him from giving any instructions to Executive Branch officials outside of his department.
This action, which is filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, finds a coalition of states from around the nation joining Oregon in its opposition against what they consider as a risky abuse of executive authority. These states—all united in their concern for the preservation of democratic governance and responsibility—are Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Washington, and Vermont.
