American Oversight Applauds Court Ruling that DOGE’s Inner Workings Cannot Be Concealed from Public View

Last night, Judge Christopher Cooper of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a preliminary ruling in a case brought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) rejecting the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s argument that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is merely an advisory entity within the president’s executive office — and therefore not covered by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

In response, American Oversight interim Executive Director Chioma Chukwu issued the following statement:

“We applaud the court’s common-sense ruling affirming that DOGE is likely subject to FOIA and recognizing the public’s right to timely access to government records. By ordering DOGE to expedite CREW’s request and release documents on a rolling basis, the court reinforced a critical principle: delayed transparency is denied accountability.

“This decision is an early victory for Americans everywhere who demand transparency and accountability from their government. Americans have the right to timely access to the truth about the Trump administration’s reckless and haphazard push to slash essential services that millions of Americans rely on and gain access to highly sensitive information on millions more without clear guardrails to prevent abuse. This ruling ensures that the Trump administration and Elon Musk cannot hide behind bureaucratic sleight of hand to evade scrutiny.

“We stand with partners like CREW in demanding transparency, holding agencies accountable, and ensuring that FOIA remains a vital tool for exposing government misconduct and protecting democracy.”

American Oversight has also sued DOGE under the Freedom of Information Act — read more here.