US judge blocks ‘disturbing’ Trump’s executive orders against law firms
US President Donald Trump faced back-to-back legal blows by judges. After the CFPB, the judges temporarily blocked key parts of Trump’s executive orders targeting Jenner & Block and WilmerHale on Friday
The legal firms challenged the Republican president’s actions in court, while Skadden Arps negotiated an agreement with the White House to avoid similar measures, Reuters reported.
Bates criticised Trump’s Jenner & Block order as “disturbing” and “troubling” for targeting the firm’s pro bono work with transgender individuals and immigrants. The judge described much of the order’s opening section – detailing accusations against the firm – as “reprehensible.”
Bates noted that Trump’s directive appeared to prevent the firm’s lawyers from entering federal courthouses under executive branch management.
“Considering the firm-wide effects of the executive order, it threatens the existence of the firm,” Bates added.
In a separate ruling, US District Judge Richard Leon in Washington, overseeing the WilmerHale litigation, labelled Trump’s order as retaliatory. He approved the firm’s request to block sections limiting access to government buildings and officials, whilst declining to halt the suspension of security clearances for the firm’s lawyers.
Jenner & Block and WilmerHale sue to stop Trump’s executive orders
The legal firms initiated their lawsuits against Trump’s administration earlier on Friday, intensifying tensions between the president and legal professionals. They argued that Trump’s directives violated constitutional rights to free expression and due process, intended to penalise opposition.
Jenner & Block responded post-ruling: “Consistent with the law, the court has agreed that this is an unconstitutional executive order holding no legal weight.”
Jenner & Block said that its suit was intended to “stop an unconstitutional executive order that has already been declared unlawful by a federal court.” A third firm, Perkins Coie, has also sued the Trump administration over the same matter, and had some early success in stopping the executive order.
Trump signs executive order, targets Jenner & Block
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump intensified his criticism of major US law firms by issuing an executive order against Jenner & Block, a firm that represents challengers to his key policies and previously employed a prosecutor involved in investigating his 2016 campaign.
The directive followed similar orders against Perkins Coie and Paul Weiss, limiting their lawyers’ security clearances and restricting their access to government facilities, officials and federal contracts.
Trump referenced Jenner & Block’s previous employment of Andrew Weissmann, a senior federal prosecutor who participated in former US Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation examining Russian connections with Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Trump, facing four criminal cases after his presidency, has alleged that large law firms collaborated with Democrats against him and his supporters.
White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf justified Trump’s action by stating that Jenner & Block was “weaponization of the legal system against American principles and values.”
Jenner & Block responded with a statement indicating that the executive order was similar to one that “has already been declared unconstitutional” by a federal judge. The firm added, “We remain focused on serving and safeguarding our clients’ interests with the dedication, integrity, and expertise that has defined our firm for more than one hundred years and will pursue all appropriate remedies.”
