Golden State Today

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with 14 other attorneys general, has issued a statement in response to the U.S. Department of the Treasury's decision to allow Elon Musk and his "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) access to sensitive payment systems containing Americans' personally identifiable information.

The coalition expressed concern over the recent actions by the Treasury Department. "In the past week, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has given Elon Musk access to Americans’ personal private information, state bank account data, and other information that is some of our country’s most sensitive data," they stated.

The attorneys general emphasized that no individual is above the law, including Musk. "As the richest man in the world, Elon Musk is not used to being told ‘no,’ but in our country, no one is above the law. The President does not have the power to give away our private information to anyone he chooses, and he cannot cut federal payments approved by Congress."

They described this level of access as "unlawful, unprecedented, and unacceptable." The coalition argued that DOGE lacks authority for such access and accused them of seeking it to block critical payments supporting healthcare, childcare, and other essential programs.

"In defense of our Constitution, our right to privacy, and the essential funding that individuals and communities nationwide are counting on," they announced plans to file a lawsuit against these actions.

The statement was released jointly by Attorney General Bonta and his counterparts from New York, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Vermont.