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Tuesday, February 18
At Democracy Docket, we prioritize our readers in everything we do. Help support our pro-democracy news outlet as we continue to hold the Trump administration accountable. Become a member for $120/year or $10/month ([link removed]) and join us in the fight for a stronger, more transparent democracy.
First lawsuit challenging Trump’s actions goes to SCOTUS

* President Donald Trump’s administration asked ([link removed]) the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the firing of whistleblower agency head Hampton Dellinger, arguing the president should have unrestricted removal power. This is the first case against Trump’s actions this term to reach the nation’s highest court.

Groups sue to block DOGE from accessing sensitive IRS data

* Taxpayer advocates and unions filed ([link removed]) a lawsuit Tuesday to block Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing and retaining sensitive data from the Internal Revenue Service.
* This is the 10th case filed to prevent DOGE from illegally accessing confidential information in federal government agencies, according to Democracy Docket’s internal database.

White House claims Musk is not DOGE employee and does not lead agency

* In a new court filing, the White House said ([link removed]) Musk is not a DOGE employee and does not have decision-making authority in the government, fueling more confusion around Musk’s power and influence.

Federal judges deny requests to temporarily block DOGE’s actions

* A federal judge in Washington, D.C. denied ([link removed]) a request from 14 states to temporarily halt DOGE and Musk’s actions, like freezing federal funding, accessing agency data and taking over agencies, for violating the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
* Another federal judge denied ([link removed]) University of California students' request to temporarily block DOGE from accessing student loan data, ruling they failed to show sufficient evidence for immediate relief. Litigation will continue.

Judge blocks Trump from firing Merit Systems Protection Board chair

* A federal judge temporarily blocked ([link removed]) Trump’s administration from illegally firing Cathy Harris, chair of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board.
* This board protects federal workers from unfair employment practices like politically motivated firings and reprisal for whistleblowers.

Wisconsin Supreme Court delivers win for voters

* In a victory for voters, the Wisconsin Supreme Court dismissed ([link removed]) a lawsuit from a right-wing group seeking to limit early absentee voting sites. Cities can continue to use in-person early absentee locations and mobile voting vehicles.
* The state Supreme Court will have a pivotal election in April that could either maintain or flip the 4-3 liberal majority. Read here ([link removed]) to learn more.

Election board seeks to bypass appeals court in North Carolina Supreme Court race lawsuit

* The North Carolina State Board of Elections urged ([link removed]) the state Supreme Court to bypass the appeals court and directly hear Jefferson Griffin's (R) case to overturn his election loss, stressing the need for a swift resolution to the months-long dispute.

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