LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has taken legal action against the Trump administration for the second time this week. As Elon Musk and the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) work to weed out what he calls wasteful government spending, state attorneys general are questioning if he has the legal authority to.
14 states have filed a lawsuit challenging the executive power the Trump administration has given Musk. The lawsuit argues that the constitutional appointments clause was violated by creating a department without congressional approval and granting Musk powers over the federal government without a confirmation hearing in the Senate.
“This extraordinary assault on our federal government by the unelected, unappointed billionaire Elon Musk usurps the right of the Senate to advise and consent and is plainly unconstitutional. This illegal exercise of authority by Musk is deeply harmful to the residents of Michigan,” Nessel said. “That is why today we are asking the Court to invalidate his directives and actions and to issue a restraining order barring Musk and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency from exercising governmental authority reserved for officers of the United States over any other agency in the executive branch of the federal government.”
Nessel said her office has recieved calls from all over the state from Michigander expressing concern that Musk has access to sensitive information that violates personal privacy and endangers national security. Nessel echoed those concerns and said she’s keeping her promise to protect michigan from the unlawful actions of the Trump administration.
Nessel is seeking a court ruling declaring Musk’s actions unconstitutional, and an injunction barring him from issuing orders to any person in the executive branch outside of DOGE, as well as invalidating his previous actions.
