Rep. Derrick Van Orden Files Articles of Impeachment Against SDNY Judge Paul Engelmayer Over DOGE Data Ruling

On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, Law&Crime reported that a Republican representative from Wisconsin, Derrick Van Orden, submitted articles of impeachment against a federal judge in the Southern District of New York. The action targets U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, who issued a temporary restraining order earlier in February that prevented staff from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aligned with Elon Musk, from accessing sensitive Treasury Department data.

The impeachment resolution, labeled House Resolution 143, was filed on February 19 and forwarded to the House Judiciary Committee for review. It accuses Judge Engelmayer of committing “high crimes and misdemeanors” through his judicial ruling. The document specifically claims that the judge’s decision to block President Donald Trump’s executive order establishing DOGE stemmed from political motives, showing bias against the president and the 74 million citizens who supported him in the election.

According to the resolution, Engelmayer’s temporary restraining order, issued in the early hours of February 8, reflects misconduct and an abuse of judicial power. It alleges that the judge disregarded legal norms and acted hastily by granting the injunction overnight, potentially to sway case outcomes in favor of specific parties. The filing further asserts that the judge’s actions went beyond acceptable judicial behavior.

The restraining order came after a coalition of 19 states, spearheaded by New York Attorney General Letitia James, sought emergency relief. In his ruling, Engelmayer stated that the states faced significant harm without the injunction, citing risks of exposing confidential information and increasing vulnerabilities to hacking under the new policy. The order also mandated that DOGE employees destroy any copies of Treasury documents they had previously obtained.

A second article in the impeachment resolution charges Engelmayer with exploiting his position for personal or political gain. It argues that his handling of the case suggests favoritism and undermines the impartial application of justice required by the Constitution.

The impeachment move by Van Orden, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, precedes a similar effort announced by another Republican, Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona. Crane, also a former SEAL, posted on X on Wednesday afternoon, stating his intent to file his own impeachment resolution by Friday, February 21. No additional lawmakers have signed on as cosponsors to Van Orden’s bill as of now.