Trump Calls off Security Clearance Freeze on Paul, Weiss After Million-Dollar Promise
Trump revokes decree that halted security authorizations at leading legal firm
In a shocking turn of events, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he has decided to scrap an executive order that would've yanked security clearances from lawyers and employees at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. The law firm made a deal to shell out around $40 million worth of free legal services to aid the White House's initiatives during Trump's term.
That's not all; Paul, Weiss also promised to conduct an in-depth audit of their hiring practices, and they swore not to touch diversity and inclusion policies. The news was shared in a statement on Thursday, where the firm referred to this meeting with Trump's chairman, Brad Karp, as a "critical conversation."
The statement did not specify what misdeeds the firm or its former partner, Mark Pomerantz, were charged with - Paul Weiss' top brass and a spokesperson were unavailable for comment when CNN reached out. Karp apparently sat down with Trump to sort out the fracas after the president flung an executive order at the firm, a source revealed to CNN.
Reports suggest that Paul Weiss saw this impending move coming after chatter emerged that the White House was mulling over blacklisting up to 14 law firms, much like how Trump treated Covington and Perkins Coie earlier.
The $40 million in pro bono legal services will reportedly go towards causes such as supporting veterans and combating antisemitism[1][2][3]. Additionally, the law firm has pledged to provide services to clients from across the political spectrum[2].
Critics have slammed this deal as another instance of the administration circumventing the law and perhaps even lining its own pockets under the guise of legality. This situation is indicative of a growing trend where political pressure is used to direct legal activities and undermine the rule of law.[1][3]
- The promise of $40 million in pro bono legal services, agreed upon by Paul, Weiss, seemed to have partially mitigated the effects of an executive order intended to revoke the security clearances of the law firm's employees.
- The weaponization of political pressure, as seen in the deal between President Trump and Paul, Weiss, raises concerns about the integrity of the legal system and the potential misuse of equitable services.
- On Thursday, Paul, Weiss and the White House agreed to controversial terms, with the law firm providing services across the political spectrum while the administration faces accusations of circumventing the law and, in some cases, using political pressure to manipulate legal activities.
