Democrats demand probe into DOGE’s alleged mishandling of personal data
Democrats are calling on Treasury Department and General Services Administration watchdogs to investigate a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employee’s access to sensitive data.
In a letter to Deputy Inspectors General Loren Sciurba and Robert Erickson, Reps. Lori Trahan (D-MA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), and Shontel Brown (D-OH) say the probe should address DOGE staffer Marko Elez’s “unauthorized and potentially illegal disclosure” of a spreadsheet containing personal information while Elez was secretly rifling through sensitive government systems.
Earlier this year, reports emerged that the 25-year-old Elez was granted read and write access to Treasury Department payment systems. Court filings later revealed the extent of his access and claimed that Elez broke Treasury policy by sending an employee spreadsheet to members of the Trump administration. Elez resigned from his DOGE role in February after reporters found racist posts linked to his social media account; however, DOGE head Elon Musk announced Elez would be reinstated, and court filings suggest he now works at the Department of Labor.
In their letter, the representatives say Elez skirted security regulations and “likely” violated the Privacy Act of 1974, a law that prevents agencies from disclosing personal information to third parties without an individual’s consent. The letter adds that if Elez did violate the law and harmed the individuals listed on the spreadsheet, they “may have grounds to seek monetary damages from the government.”
Treasury Deputy Inspector General Sciurba has already opened an investigation into DOGE’s access to the agency’s payment systems, but this investigation would specifically focus on Elez’s actions.
Reps. Trahan, DelBene, and Brown are asking the deputy inspectors general to find out how many people had their personal information exposed on the spreadsheet, as well as whether Elez obtained written consent from each individual before sending it to Trump administration officials. They also want to know why Elez was granted access to Treasury Department systems while his security clearance process was still underway and how the Trump administration officials interacted with the spreadsheet they received.
As DOGE continues to slash and burn its way through government agencies, lawmakers are scrambling to put a stop to the chaos. Last week, a judge granted a preliminary injunction preventing the Trump administration from shutting down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, but it’s not clear how long it will last. A Politico report has also suggested that DOGE leader Musk will step down from his role, which Musk called “fake news.”