'Entirely inappropriate': Judge rejects Trump admin request to stay discovery in lawsuit over dismantling USAID [View all]
Source: Law & Crime
Jan 31st, 2026, 10:08 am
A federal judge has nixed a request by the Trump administration to stay discovery in, and quickly move forward with, an ongoing lawsuit over cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
In the underlying litigation, over two dozen pseudonymous current and former employees or contractors with USAID sued Elon Musk, arguing his then-position atop the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) violated the U.S. Constitution's Appointments Clause and the separation of powers doctrine.
In March 2025, the plaintiffs partially won a requested preliminary injunction barring Musk and DOGE from making any additional cuts at USAID without the "express authorization" of an authorized agency official. The judge also mused that efforts to diminish the agency's capacity constitute a "likely unconstitutional shutdown."
In August 2025, the defendants won a motion to dismiss as to claims against President Donald Trump – but was otherwise denied.
Read more: https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/entirely-inappropriate-judge-rejects-trump-admin-request-to-stay-discovery-in-lawsuit-over-dismantling-usaid/
Link to ORDER (PDF) - https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.576293/gov.uscourts.mdd.576293.196.0.pdf
REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143428501
There was a lawsuit filed a year ago (February 2025) against Musk, Rubio, & 45, et al, related to the dismantling of USAID, and the courts eventually dropped 45 off the list of defendants, but have so far left the rest, and the case continues. 45 is trying to get the whole thing dismissed and the judge is "Not so fast".
Case history available here - https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69636722/does-1-26-v-musk/
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