"Judicial intervention halts Trump's executive action against specified law firm, deemed unlawful retaliation"
Title: Judge Permanently Halts White House's "Win-By-Retaliation" Strategy Against Elite Law Firms
In a bold move, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell has dealt a significant blow to President Trump's vindictive campaign against the legal profession, permanently blocking a White House executive order targeted at Perkins Coie, a prestigious law firm.
Judge Howell deemed the executive order as "unconstitutional retaliation" in her 102-page ruling, ending any enforcement of it. This order, according to Howell, echoes Shakespearean tactics, threatening American democracy by threatening legitimate legal representation.
The ruling marks the most definitive rejection to date of Trump's series of similar executive orders against some of the country's top law firms. These orders form part of the President's broader attempt to reshape American civil society, where he targets perceived adversaries, hoping to extract concessions and bend them to his will. Many of the targeted firms have worked on legal matters opposed by Trump or have had associations with prosecutors who once probed Trump, the sole felon to occupy the White House.
The Perkins Coie law firm captured headlines due to their representation of Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign during the 2016 presidential race. Trump frequently attacks one of the firm's former attorneys, Marc Elias, who engaged a research firm that in turn hired a former British spy examining ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Howell asserted that Perkins Coie was targeted due to their expression of unpopular policies, representation of disliked clients, legal battles with unwanted outcomes, and challenges against some of the President's actions. She firmly stated, "This is unconstitutional retaliation and viewpoint discrimination, plain and simple."
Her ruling came as no surprise, given her earlier temporary blocks on multiple provisions of the order and her misgivings at a recent hearing, where she questioned a Justice Department lawyer justifying the edict. Her decision permanently bars enforcement of the executive order, and she directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, to share copies of her opinion with relevant government departments and agencies.
Several other law firms, including WilmerHale, Jenner & Block, and Susman Godfrey, have also challenged orders against them, temporarily blocking the orders. However, other significant firms have avoided orders by preemptively reaching settlements, committing to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in pro bono legal services supporting Trump-aligned causes.
Tucker pens this piece for the Associated Press.
For further reading: * Trump signs orders escalating immigration showdown with sanctuary cities and states * Judge hinders Trump administration from stripping collective bargaining rights for most federal employees * Federal judge in California obstructs Trump from withholding funds from 'sanctuary' cities
Additional Insights:The background and wider context of the permanent block on the White House executive order targeting Perkins Coie law firm are as follows:
Background
Perkins Coie came under scrutiny due to their representation of Hillary Clinton's campaign during the 2016 election. The firm hired a research firm that retained former British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled the controversial "Steele Dossier" concerning Donald Trump. This association sparked a series of executive orders from President Trump aimed at law firms like Perkins Coie, whom he perceived as adversaries.
Executive Order Details
The executive orders directed government agencies to take the following actions against firms like Perkins Coie:
- Suspension of Security Clearances: Immediate suspension of active security clearances held by firm employees.
- Disclosure Requirements: Contractors were required to disclose any business dealings with targeted firms.
- Contract Review: Agency leaders were mandated to review all contracts with the targeted firms or entities that do business with them.
- Limited Access: Employees of the targeted firms were restricted in their access to federal buildings and government workers.
The Court's Decision
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the executive order targeting Perkins Coie is unconstitutional, violating the First, Fifth, and Sixth amendments. She affirmed that the order amounted to viewpoint discrimination and retaliation against law firms based on their legal work.
Judge Howell initially blocked enforcement of order provisions related to government contracting and access to federal buildings and personnel. Her final ruling provides a significant victory for Perkins Coie and serves as a rebuke to the White House's actions.
- Judge Beryl Howell, a U.S. District Judge, has permanently halted a White House executive order targeting Perkins Coie, a prestigious law firm, deeming it as "unconstitutional retaliation."
- The executive order, according to Howell's 102-page ruling, threatens American democracy by threatening legitimate legal representation and echoes Shakespearean tactics.
- This order is part of President Trump's broader attempt to reshape American civil society, where he targets perceived adversaries, hoping to extract concessions and bend them to his will.
- Perkins Coie captured headlines due to their representation of Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign during the 2016 presidential race.
- The White House's targeting of Perkins Coie was due to their expression of unpopular policies, representation of disliked clients, legal battles with unwanted outcomes, and challenges against some of the President's actions.
- Judge Howell's decision permanently bars enforcement of the executive order, and she directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, to share copies of her opinion with relevant government departments and agencies.
- Other law firms, including WilmerHale, Jenner & Block, and Susman Godfrey, have also challenged orders against them, temporarily blocking the orders.
- Tucker, writing for the Associated Press, states that this setback to the White House is a significant victory for Perkins Coie and serves as a rebuke to the White House's actions in politics, policy-and-legislation, general-news, and television.
