1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

Investigate DOGE, Protect Federal Records, and Rein in Executive Overreach I am writing to demand immediate congressional oversight into the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an unaccountable executive entity operating outside traditional checks and balances. On May 15, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit denied the Trump administration’s request for a writ of mandamus in Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. DOGE. The administration had sought to block a lower court’s order allowing limited discovery into whether DOGE is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The Court flatly rejected this attempt to dodge transparency, stating the administration failed to demonstrate any legal justification for evading judicial review. This matters for two reasons: 1. DOGE is operating in secrecy. CREW’s FOIA request sought basic documents about DOGE’s structure and authorities—something every agency must disclose under the law. The administration claimed DOGE is not an agency and tried to hide behind executive privilege to avoid scrutiny. 2. Federal records are at risk. CREW also asked for a preservation order under the Federal Records Act, raising alarms about the potential destruction or manipulation of records. Those fears are well-founded: Marco Rubio, now serving as National Archivist, has unprecedented access to suppress, alter, or “disappear” public records—especially those tied to ongoing corruption or investigations. This is willful obstruction and a blatant abuse of executive power. Congress must: • Immediately open hearings into DOGE’s creation, authorities, and actions. • Pass legislation reaffirming FOIA applies to all entities exercising agency-like functions. • Investigate the National Archivist’s conduct and potential violations of the Federal Records Act. • Enforce mandatory records preservation across all executive entities. We cannot allow shadow agencies to rewrite the rules of democracy behind closed doors. I urge you to act now.