The Trump administration plans to abandon its defense of the president’s executive orders sanctioning several law firms, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Justice Department as soon as Monday was expected to drop its appeals of four trial-court rulings that struck down President Trump’s actions against law firms Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, Perkins Coie, and Susman Godfrey.
Trump issued a string of executive orders last year against several law firms and individual lawyers that would have stripped security clearances, restricted their access to federal buildings and directed agencies to end any federal contracts with the firms and their clients.
The White House campaign sent a chill through the industry. Fear of the orders also prompted other large firms to make deals with the president, promising nearly $1 billion in pro bono work for causes favored by the administration.
In targeting the firms, Trump cited their connections to his political rivals and criticized their diversity initiatives and pro bono work advocating for immigrants, transgender rights and voting protections.
Let’s face it. While some of these firms may have been scared of Trump, it’s fair to assume that many of them were happy to comply with these “orders” because they agreed with them and wanted to do the “pro bono” work for the administration without having to take responsibility for it.
It’s a shameful chapter that reveals a whole lot about our elite institutions. We should not forget it.