The Department of Energy (DOE) has instructed its employees to label documents related to the agency’s review of grants and contracts under the controversial DOGE initiative with "legal privilege," in a bid to prevent them from being disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
A memo obtained by Axios reveals that the DOE’s acting general counsel, David R. Taggart, issued the directive on March 17, outlining procedures for handling DOGE-related documents.
DOGE, which has been tasked with evaluating the efficiency and alignment of grants and contracts with DOE policies, has provided spreadsheets to DOE officials. These spreadsheets are to help identify which grants and contracts could potentially be flagged for termination or renegotiation.
The memo also directs political appointees within the DOE to assess whether each grant or contract is “efficient” and “consistent with DOE policies and priorities.” Taggart emphasized the importance of brevity and consistency when completing the spreadsheets, citing a "heavy litigation environment" surrounding the DOGE cuts.
The review process appears to cover multiple areas within the DOE, including its national laboratory system, as each laboratory is managed by private companies under contract. The DOE’s standard contracts contain provisions that allow for termination if an award no longer aligns with the department's goals or priorities.
The memo suggests that the process for enacting DOGE cuts may involve minimal scrutiny once the completed spreadsheets leave DOE offices. Officials have been encouraged to be as detailed as possible when filling out the documents to avoid overlooking specific nuances in contracts and grants, which could result in the wrongful termination of efficient agreements.
The move comes amid growing controversy surrounding the DOGE initiative and its potential impact on energy-related research and development funding.
President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies...
West Africa's Al Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on military position...
Morocco booked their place in the World Cup quarter-finals with a convincing 3-0 victory over Canada, ending the co-host's historic run in the tourna...
Kyrgyzstan’s ex-second in command, Kamchybek Tashiev, has been convicted of plotting to overthrow the country’s President Sadyr Japarov. Tashiev a...
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported...
A federal judge on 7 May ruled that the Trump administration’s cancellation of hundreds of humanities grants under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was unconstitutional and amounted to “blatant viewpoint discrimination”.
U.S. President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency has quietly faded out with eight months left on its mandate, as its powers are absorbed into the federal bureaucracy and critics question whether it ever produced real savings.
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested reviewing subsidies granted to Elon Musk’s companies to save federal funds, reigniting a public feud after Musk’s sharp criticism of the government’s latest tax and spending bill.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk held a final press conference in the Oval Office to mark the official end of Musk’s role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Germany has requested urgent talks with China's ambassador following reports that Chinese authorities trained Russian soldiers, adding fresh strain to relations between Beijing and Europe amid the war in Ukraine.
President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies for late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
West Africa's Al Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on military positions in Mali on Saturday and said it had seized control of at least three of them.
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in security, with a bilateral meeting planned with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as Paris seeks closer coordination with key allies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally expanding its authority and undermining regional stability.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment