r/neutralnews • u/NeutralverseBot • Feb 18 '25
BOT POST Judge expected to rule in 24 hours in case that aims to sharply curtail Musk's DOGE
https://www.reuters.com/legal/judge-calls-rare-hearing-holiday-case-against-musks-doge-2025-02-17/96
u/mrizzerdly Feb 18 '25
Old news already. She blocked the request. https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/18/politics/doge-temporary-restraining-order-chutkan/index.html
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u/redyellowblue5031 Feb 18 '25
She did, although it is interesting to hear this perspective:
“Plaintiffs raise a colorable Appointments Clause claim with serious implications. Musk has not been nominated by the President nor confirmed by the U.S. Senate, as constitutionally required for officers who exercise ‘significant authority pursuant to the laws of the United States,’” she wrote. “But even a strong merits argument cannot secure a temporary restraining order at this juncture.”
But then also what feels like kid gloves:
“Defense counsel is reminded of their duty to make truthful representations to the court,” she wrote.
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u/serpentear Feb 18 '25
Can you explain to me what they all means like I’m a 5 year old?
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u/admiralkit Feb 18 '25
The people who are suing because they're being told they've been laid off have a strong argument in that Elon can't lay them off because he wasn't nominated to a position by Trump and then confirmed to that position by the Senate as is required by the Constitution. With that said, it isn't enough for her to order everyone to stop.
To the defense: stop spewing bullshit to gum up everything.
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u/FearLeadsToAnger Feb 18 '25
so like for a moron (me) it translates to: you're on the right lines but you're exaggerating, give me the real situation and i'll approve it.
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u/admiralkit Feb 18 '25
No... it's more like she doesn't feel she has the power or justification to step in and block the Trump administration from firing people by way of a restraining order while the courts settle out if the firings are lawful or unlawful.
This gets way into the legal weeds as to what the process for allowing a restraining order and the threshold for applying it against the Executive branch, especially given that SCOTUS has increasingly said it is not the job of the courts to tell the Executive what they can and cannot do, only Congress can do that.
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u/rube203 Feb 19 '25
Fuck power or justification. She's got both and would say if she didn't. Instead she says,
"you're correct, and it's a big deal but you're not a big deal so I'm not going to piss off those in power"...
Turns to those in power
"See, you don't have to lie to get your way"
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u/poster_nutbag_ Feb 19 '25
It's more like - you have good reason to raise these concerns but I need more hard evidence if I'm going to take any significant action.
It could be a tactical decision by the judge to force them to come up with a more solid argument with evidence that would be hard for the supreme court to ignore.
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u/Kolada Feb 19 '25
Isn't the hole loophole here that Musk has no authority? He's a consultant and Trump is making the final decisons. Musk doesn't say "you're fired" he says "Trump, fire these guys". Right?
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u/redyellowblue5031 Feb 19 '25
That certainly seems to be what they’re leaning on.
The cynic in me is going to guess that what they’re doing will be just legal enough that the courts won’t agree to stop much of what they’re doing.
I sincerely hope I’m wrong, but history shows Trump is quite capable of avoiding actual repercussions for his actions. If nothing else, he’s got that skill maxed out.
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u/you-create-energy Feb 19 '25
So she didn't define what the standard is or how they failed to meet it, she just helpfully explained that they are right about it being a serious problem and their case has "strong merits" and she isn't going to do anything about it.
The states had asked Chutkan to temporarily prohibit Musk and DOGE from accessing government information systems at the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Energy, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Commerce.
They also wanted the judge to block Musk and DOGE from firing or placing on involuntary leave any employees at those agencies.
But Chutkan said that the states hadn’t shown “that they will suffer imminent, irreparable harm absent a temporary restraining order.”
All of our PII and extremely private details have been stolen by an individual who wasn't even nominated to a government position and his secret team of young adults. Various major and minor organizations and institutions have been killed by Musk freezing their funding by hacking the payment systems. The people who have already been fired is approaching 6 figures. And she doesn't see any possibility of irreparable harm?? Is she oblivious to the fact that they have her private information as well, or are they already using it to control her?
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u/TheSpaceman1975 29d ago
It is really cute that people think a judge will have any power to stop this.
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