Judge allows DOGE to access sensitive Treasury payment systems
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(WASHINGTON) — A team from the Department of Government Efficiency can now access a sensitive Treasury Department system that controls trillions of dollars in federal payments, a judge ruled late Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas gave permission for four DOGE employees to access the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which essentially serves as the checkbook for the federal government. Vargas said she would no longer require the Trump administration to get permission from the court before expanding access to other DOGE representatives.
The ruling marks a win for the Trump administration and DOGE, which caused a legal firestorm in February when it tried to get access to the Treasury Department’s payment systems. A group of Democratic attorneys general sued to block their access, and Vargas temporarily blocked their access in February but permitted DOGE to build a system to access the data with appropriate training and restrictions.
In April, Vargas allowed one DOGE employee to begin accessing the system. In yesterday’s ruling, she said the Trump administration had established a system to train employees to prevent improper disclosures. The attorneys general did not object to allowing DOGE’s access if the employees were properly trained.
“There is little utility in having this Court function as Treasury’s de facto human resources officer each time a new team member is onboarded,” Vargas said.
(SELDEN, N.Y.) — A 15-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly fatally stabbing his grandmother and injuring his mother in Selden, New York, according to police.
Vanessa Chendemi was allegedly stabbed by her son at about 9:45 p.m. Monday after which she ran out of her house and a passing motorist stopped to offer assistance, the Suffolk County Police Department said. Upon arriving at the scene, officers said they found 56-year-old Concetta Chendemi with stab wounds in the residence.
She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.
Vanessa Chendemi, 36, was transported to an area hospital and is in stable condition, Suffolk County police said.
The suspect fled the scene after the stabbing, police said. He was later arrested at around 11:20 p.m.
The accused stabber — who has not been identified by police because he is a minor — has been charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder.
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(SANTA FE, NM) — A New Mexico judge ruled Monday that video, audio and photos that fall under New Mexico public records law can be released in connection to the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
But Judge Matthew Wilson said their bodies cannot be shown; the bodies must be blurred or edited out.
This comes after Hackman’s estate petitioned for an injunction to stop the release of certain records.
It’s unclear when the remaining body worn camera footage will be released and if it will take any editing by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.
The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator said it “respects the ruling.”
“As of today, the NM OMI has not finalized the post-mortem examination reports of Mr. Eugene Hackman and Mrs. Betsy Hackman,” the agency said. “However, once those reports are finalized, the NM OMI will release the reports and will not release photos, as ordered. The NM OMI will release documents to those who have requested them through it’s normal protocol, which is through The University of New Mexico’s public records portal. The NM OMI offers condolences to the Hackman Family.”
Officials previously released body camera footage from authorities responding to the Hackmans’ home, but not the couple’s bodies.
Hackman and Arakawa were mysteriously found dead in their Santa Fe home during a Feb. 26 welfare check with authorities unclear about their causes of death.
It was later announced Hackman, 95, died of cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s disease likely around Feb. 18, about one week after his wife died from a rare syndrome, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, on about Feb. 12, officials said.
Hackman’s death was from “hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor,” Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief medical investigator for the state’s Office of the Medical Investigator, announced at a news conference.
“Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer’s disease,” she said. “He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think, ultimately, that is what resulted in his death.”
Arakawa, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease transmitted through rodent urine, droppings or saliva, officials said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the disease “initially causes flu-like symptoms that can progress to more severe illness where people have trouble breathing.”
Those who contract hantavirus after being exposed to rodent excrement often feel ill for roughly three to six days, Jarrell said.
“Then they can transition to that pulmonary phase, where they have fluid in their lungs and around their lungs,” she said. “And at that point, a person can die very quickly, within 24 to 48 hours, roughly speaking, without medical treatment.”
Hackman was likely home with his deceased wife for one week before he died, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said.
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(FRANKFORT, Ky.) — The rain may have stopped, but Kentucky’s governor warned the danger isn’t over from the four days of deadly storms that devastated the central U.S. with catastrophic flooding and destructive tornadoes.
Many roads remain flooded and some rivers and creeks are at or above flood stage, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference Monday.
“Do not drive through water, do not move barricades,” Beshear pleaded.
He stressed that even when water is receding, it’s still dangerous to drive.
Twenty people have died since Wednesday from the storms, with the fatalities spanning Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi and Indiana.
Two of the 20 deaths were in Kentucky: a woman and a 9-year-old boy who both died in the floodwaters, the governor said.
The governor said the death toll may have been higher if not for the swift water rescue teams.
One person last seen boating in floodwaters has been reported missing in McCracken County, Kentucky, Beshear said.
The rainfall from these storms was historic. More than 15 inches of rain deluged Benton, Kentucky — the most rain on record in a four-day period for the western part of the state — and over 14 inches of rain inundated Arkansas and Tennessee.
Some rivers are expected to continue to rise this week. Up to 40 river gauges across the region are forecast to be in the flood stage.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” said Michael Muller, the judge/executive in hard-hit Franklin County, Kentucky, about 30 miles outside of Lexington.
“Stay at home, help your neighbors, don’t be out if you don’t have to be out,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced a new website, Floodsmart.gov, to help people directly access flood insurance quotes.
“It’s quick and easy and takes just a few minutes. Insured survivors recover faster,” Cameron Hamilton, senior official performing the duties of FEMA administrator, said in a statement. “With spring flooding and hurricane season both approaching fast, it’s important to take this first step so you can better protect the life you’ve built.”
ABC News’ Max Golembo and Luke Barr contributed to this report.
