Governor Josh Green, M.D.

 

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

 

DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

KA ʻOIHANA O KA LOIO KUHINA

 

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

 

ANNE LOPEZ

ATTORNEY GENERAL

LOIO KUHINA

ATTORNEY GENERAL LOPEZ HAILS DECISION STOPPING ELON MUSK AND DOGE FROM ACCESSING AMERICANS’ PRIVATE INFORMATION AND CUTTING FEDERAL FUNDS THROUGH THE TREASURY

 

News Release 2025-30

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       

February 21, 2025

 

HONOLULU – Attorney General Anne Lopez claimed a major victory for the people of Hawaiʻi today in a lawsuit brought by Attorney General Lopez and a coalition of 19 attorneys general, where Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Southern District of New York issued an order granting the coalition’s motion for a preliminary injunction, barring the government from allowing unauthorized government employees like Elon Musk and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or “DOGE,” to access the Treasury’s central payment system while the coalition’s lawsuit proceeds.

 

Attorney General Lopez filed the lawsuit on February 7, 2025, asserting that the Trump administration illegally provided Elon Musk and DOGE unauthorized access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system, and therefore to Americans’ most sensitive personal information, including bank account details and Social Security numbers. This expanded access could allow Musk and his team to block federal funds to states and programs providing health care, childcare, and other critical services. Judge Vargas’ ruling today follows her earlier ruling on February 8, 2025, issuing a temporary restraining order.

 

“The people of Hawaiʻi have every reason to be outraged at the reckless conduct of the Trump administration with their personal identifying information and financial data. As the court correctly recognized, the U.S. Treasury’s systems contain highly sensitive data about Americans and that there is a substantial risk of harm where data access protocols do not vet the employees or train them in data security measures,” said Attorney General Anne Lopez. “The Department of the Attorney General will continue to fight to ensure that the federal government remains accountable to the people of this state and to the rule of law upon which our nation is based.”

 

The state of Hawaiʻi is represented in this matter by Solicitor General Kalikoʻonālani Fernandes and Special Assistant to the Attorney General Dave Day.

 

Joining Attorney General James in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of New York, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

 

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Media contacts:

Dave Day

Special Assistant to the Attorney General

Office: 808-586-1284                                                  

Email: [email protected]        

Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

 

Toni Schwartz
Public Information Officer
Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General
Office: 808-586-1252
Cell: 808-379-9249
Email: [email protected] 

Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov