Elon Musk is facing serious legal pushback with Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell spearheading a multistate lawsuit against his alleged overreach in the federal government. Musk, entrusted with an expansive role by President Trump, is now at the center of a constitutional controversy. AG Campbell asserts that this move is not only unprecedented but also a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution due to the creation of a federal department and allocation of broad powers without the express consent of Congress.
Joining the fray, alongside Campbell, are attorney generals from 13 states with an emphatic stand against this seemingly autocratic maneuver. "The President cannot create a new department to restructure the federal government and certainly cannot give unchecked power to a billionaire friend without Congressional action," Campbell highlighted in a statement obtained by Mass.gov. Their joint legal action is challenging the creation of the Department of DOGE and seeks to neutralize Musk’s range of influence, which they argue has led to a dismantling of established institutions.
At the crux of the lawsuit is the claim that these actions have sidestepped essential checks and balances, notably the Appointments Clause, which calls for Senate approval and comprehensive financial disclosures for appointees. By bypassing such safeguards, the attorneys general argue, Musk's involvement invites potential conflicts of interest and undermines democratic processes.
The legal strategy is twofold: to have Musk’s actions ruled unconstitutional and to prohibit him from wielding authority over any individuals within the Executive Branch outside of DOGE. Furthermore, their mission is to annul any directives he may have previously issued. Attorneys general from diverse states, including California, Nevada, and Hawai’i, stands united with AG Campbell in filings led by the New Mexico Department of Justice and counterparts in Arizona and Michigan, reflecting a broad coalition against the centralized power grab.
