Watchdog suggests US attorneys’ staff in New York may be undermining Trump’s DOT

Government watchdog group Democracy Restored is urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate U.S. attorneys in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) for potentially undermining Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s efforts to end New York City’s congestion tax. The controversial congestion pricing program charges drivers a toll for driving on certain Manhattan streets, with fees varying based on the time of day.

Late in the night on April 23, SDNY attorneys representing Duffy and the Department of Transportation filed an 11-page confidential memo in federal court in Manhattan, criticizing the Trump administration’s argument to end the NYC driver’s tax as weak with “considerable litigation risk.” The memo was subsequently removed from the public docket the next day, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District calling it a mistake.

In response, the Transportation Department announced that they would transfer the case to the DOJ’s civil division. However, Democracy Restored is calling for a thorough investigation into the attorneys involved in the filing mishap. The group raised concerns about potential ethical and legal violations, questioning whether the act was intentional or a result of incompetence.

Democracy Restored highlighted the partisan backgrounds of the attorneys, noting their affiliations with Democratic political candidates and left-wing groups. The group emphasized the need for U.S. Attorneys to remain nonpartisan and objective in their work, calling for immediate action from the DOJ to address the incident.

New York City’s congestion pricing program, which went into effect in January, imposed a $9 toll on drivers entering Manhattan’s core. The Trump administration attempted to halt the program through a federal order, but ongoing legal battles have allowed the tolls to continue. City officials argue that the program has reduced congestion and improved travel times.

As the legal dispute continues, New York City and the MTA have requested a federal judge to block the Trump administration’s efforts to end the program. The DOJ declined to comment on the matter, and responses from the Department of Transportation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York were not received prior to publication. Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch and Landon Mion contributed to this report.