In a decisive legal victory for the Trump administration, a federal judge has just delivered a stinging blow to New York Attorney General Letitia James and her band of Democrat state prosecutors. The judge ruled that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) can move forward with its sweeping audit of federal Treasury payments—despite furious opposition from James and 17 other Democratic attorneys general.
U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas, a Biden appointee, issued the ruling Tuesday, dismantling the final roadblock that had stalled the DOGE team from digging into what they claim is rampant waste within the Treasury Department’s payment system. The decision allows all four DOGE investigators to proceed with their examination, a major advance in the Trump-era effort to root out bloated spending and redirect taxpayer dollars more efficiently.
This comes after months of tense courtroom battles, with James calling the probe an “illegal power grab.” But with this ruling, it’s the Trump team that has come out on top. Vargas not only authorized the four investigators to move forward but also lifted a burdensome requirement that previously forced the government to seek court approval every time a new staffer joined the probe.
“There is little utility in having this Court function as Treasury’s de facto human resources officer each time a new team member is onboarded,” Judge Vargas wrote in her order, according to Politico.
