Posted on 03/08/2025 7:14:44 AM PST by simpson96
(UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to suspend security clearances for Perkins Coie lawyers, as he continues to retaliate against law firms connected to his political opponents.
Perkins Coie has been a target of Trump's criticism going back to his first campaign ahead of the 2016 election as it connects to the compilation of a political opposition research report about him.
The executive order directs the heads of the Justice Department, National Intelligence and other relevant agencies to take steps to suspend active security clearances held by employees of Perkins Coie.
It also seeks to end all federal government contracts, if there are any, with the Seattle-based law firm.
"This is an absolute honor to sign," Trump said in the Oval Office before reporters moments before signing the document with a sharpie. "What they've done is terrible. It's a weaponization, you can say weaponization against a political opponent and it should never be allowed to happen again."
The executive order describes Perkins Coie of having conducted "dishonest and dangerous activity," specifically highlighting its work for the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Perkins Coie had hired Fusion GPS to create what has since become known as the Steele Dossier, which alleged connections between Trump and Russians.
UPI has contacted Perkins Coie for comment.
The executive order also accuses the law firm of racial discrimination through diversity, equity and inclusive programs, which the Trump administration has viciously attacked.
The order also directs the chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the attorney general to review other large law firms to see if they are employing similar DEI programs.
Trump asked White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf if they were currently looking at 15 firms under this order.
"That or more, sir, yes," Scharf replied.
(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
It’s not retaliation it’s Justice
I have to question why ANY law firm employees/attorneys should have security clearances...
Bias much? My President is neutralizing the political bias that discriminates against and persecutes conservative ideology.
Such as, putting that blindfold back on Lady Justice (or, whatever they call that whore).
nytimesarchives.com
By Devlin Barrett
Reporting from Washington
March 6, 2025, 5:26 p.m. ET
excerpt——President Trump signed an executive order seeking to severely punish the law firm Perkins Coie by stripping its lawyers of security clearances and access to government buildings and officials — a form of payback for its legal work for Democrats during the 2016 presidential campaign.
With the order, Perkins Coie becomes the second such firm to be targeted by the president. Late last month, he signed a similar memorandum attacking Covington & Burling, which has done pro bono legal work for Jack Smith, who as special counsel pursued two separate indictments of Mr. Trump.
While the Covington memorandum sought to strip clearances and contracts from that firm, the Perkins Coie order goes much further, seeking to also limit its lawyers’ access to federal buildings, officials and jobs in a way that could cast a chilling effect over the entire legal profession.
snip
The executive order also accuses the firm of unfair hiring practices, and calls for a far-reaching review of top law firms to see if they promote diversity, equity or inclusion in a way that the Trump administration dislikes.
The federal review ordered by Mr. Trump will seek to determine “whether large law firms reserve certain positions, such as summer associate spots, for individuals of preferred races; promote individuals on a discriminatory basis; permit client access on a discriminatory basis; or provide access to events, trainings or travel on a discriminatory basis.”
A spokesman for Perkins Coie did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately clear how many lawyers at the firm have security clearances.
Mr. Trump filed a lawsuit against Perkins Coie in 2022, accusing the firm, his former rival Hillary Clinton and others, of participating in a left-wing conspiracy to derail his presidential campaign. That lawsuit was tossed by a judge who said it lacked substance and legal support.
snip
That question most certainly needs an answer. Collusion between a candidate’s legal firm & our national security organs should be made public, & people should be punished.
cont
nytimes.archives.com
Luke Broadwater contributed reporting.
Excerpt-——animosity toward Perkins Coie dates back eight years, when two lawyers at the firm, Marc Elias and Michael Sussmann, played roles in what eventually became an FBI investigation to determine if anyone on the 2016 Trump presidential campaign conspired with Russian agents to influence the outcome of that election. Both lawyers left that firm years ago.
The Trump executive order denounces what it calls “dishonest and dangerous activity” at Perkins Coie, singling out its hiring of a research firm that led to the compilation of a dossier of unsubstantiated allegations against Mr. Trump related to possible ties between his campaign and Russia. The executive order accused the firm of “undermining democratic elections, the integrity of our courts and honest law enforcement.”
The order instructs federal agencies to suspend any security clearances that Perkins Coie lawyers may have. It also orders government agencies to determine if they have any contracts with the law firm, and then cancel them.
Additionally, the order instructs the heads of all federal agencies to limit Perkins Coie lawyers’ access to federal buildings “when such access would threaten the national security of or otherwise be inconsistent with the interests of the United States.” It also instructs federal officials to limit their interactions with employees of the firm and seeks to prevent Perkins Coie lawyers from being hired by the federal government.
It is not clear what immediate effect the presidential decree will have on the firm. The president and his supporters have railed against what they call the “weaponization” of the legal system against him, arguing that he was unfairly targeted by prosecutors, judges and private practice lawyers for political purposes, rather than any wrongdoing on his part.
“This is an absolute honor to sign,” Mr. Trump said at the White House. “What they’ve done is just terrible. It’s weaponization, you could say weaponization against a political opponent, and it should never be allowed to happen again.”
This access to security clearance needs a security review.
Payback is mine sayeth the Trump47. Bankrupt those rogue lawyers cabal.
Does any other Law firm have workstations that link directly into the FBI’s FISA database?
It’s a neutering is what it is. Couldn’t be more deserved.
What shame. They can’t even enter US Post Offices.
bttt
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.