On Sunday, February 9, 2025, Newsweek reported that Elon Musk has called for the impeachment of U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer following a legal setback for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk leads. The call for impeachment came after Judge Engelmayer issued a preliminary injunction that prevented DOGE from accessing sensitive Treasury records, a move Musk described as an act of corruption.
Musk expressed his frustration on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, where he stated, “A corrupt judge protecting corruption,” and demanded, “He needs to be impeached NOW!” This statement followed Judge Engelmayer’s ruling, which blocked DOGE from accessing personal financial data of millions of Americans held by the Treasury Department. The judge ordered that any data obtained unlawfully since January 20 must be destroyed.
The DOGE, established by former President Donald Trump through an executive order on his first day back in office, was tasked with modernizing federal technology and improving governmental efficiency. Musk emphasized that the department’s mission includes combating fraud and minimizing taxpayer waste by scrutinizing government spending. However, the broad access granted to DOGE to sensitive data has drawn criticism from various officials who argue it poses risks to privacy and could violate federal laws.
Judge Engelmayer, appointed by Barack Obama, sided with critics who raised concerns about DOGE’s access to sensitive information. His ruling restricts access to Treasury records to specialized civil servants performing their official duties, explicitly barring political appointees, special government employees, and individuals outside the Treasury, including Musk, from obtaining this data.
This decision is part of ongoing legal disputes, with lawsuits filed by 19 Democratic attorneys general against the Trump administration. The lawsuits challenge the legitimacy of DOGE’s access to sensitive records, arguing that Musk, an unelected special government employee, should not have such privileges.
In response to the ruling, Musk labeled the judge’s decision “absolutely insane,” asserting that it hinders his ability to expose alleged fraud within the federal government. He further amplified his call for impeachment by sharing posts from other social media users who echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that there should be serious discussions about impeaching judges like Engelmayer.
Musk’s comments were supported by Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee, who described the judge’s order as having “the feel of a coup—not a military coup, but a judicial one.” Musk agreed with this perspective and proposed that the worst-performing appointed judges, as evaluated by elected officials, should be removed annually to eliminate corruption and incompetence within the judiciary.
Legally, the impeachment of federal judges, including district court judges like Engelmayer, is possible under U.S. law. Impeachment proceedings are initiated by the House of Representatives, which can impeach a judge by a simple majority vote. However, a two-thirds majority in the Senate is required for a conviction.
Engelmayer, who has served as a district judge in the Southern District of New York since 2011, now faces calls for his impeachment from Musk. While threats of impeachment against judges have been voiced by some GOP lawmakers in recent years, experts suggest that actual impeachment actions remain unlikely. The Brennan Center for Justice notes that using impeachment as a tool against judges for their rulings threatens the independence of the judicial branch, a principle upheld for centuries.
Historically, only 15 judges have been impeached by the House since 1803, and merely eight have been removed after Senate conviction.
The next court hearing regarding the case is scheduled for February 14.
Source: Newsweek
