Obama Judge Rules Trump Law Firm Order Unconstitutional

A federal judge in Washington on Friday struck down President Donald Trump's executive order targeting the Perkins Coie law firm, ruling it unconstitutional.

Trump's March 6 executive order accused Perkins Coie of "dishonest and dangerous activity" that "has affected this country for decades." It stated that Perkins Coie, at the behest of Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, hired Fusion GPS, which then manufactured the discredited Steele dossier used to allege collusion between Russia and Trump in the 2016 election campign.

Trump also criticized the firm for working with billionaire liberal George Soros and other activist donors "to judicially overturn popular, necessary, and democratically enacted election laws, including those requiring voter identification." The order stripped security clearances from the firm's attorneys, limited their access to federal buildings, and ordered agencies to take steps to end government contracts with its clients.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, appointed by Barack Obama in 2010, permanently blocked the order against the law firm, arguing it was in breach of several provisions of the Constitution. In March, she temporarily blocked the administration from enforcing much of the order.

"No American President has ever before issued executive orders like the one at issue in this lawsuit targeting a prominent law firm with adverse actions to be executed by all Executive branch agencies but, in purpose and effect, this action draws from a playbook as old as Shakespeare, who penned the phrase: 'The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers,'" Howell wrote Friday in a 102-page ruling.

"Using the powers of the federal government to target lawyers for their representation of clients and avowed progressive employment policies in an overt attempt to suppress and punish certain viewpoints, however, is contrary to the Constitution, which requires that the government respond to dissenting or unpopular speech or ideas with tolerance, not coercion.'"

The executive order was part of a series of actions Trump issued against major law firms. Four sued to stop the sanctions from taking effect. An order against another firm, Paul Weiss, was rescinded after the firm reached an agreement with the administration. At least nine other large firms made deals to avoid the orders, The Wall Street Journal reported.

In total, the administration secured nearly $1 billion in pro bono legal services for causes it supports through its agreements with the settling firms.

The administration in March requested that Howell step down from the case, accusing her of a "pattern of hostility" toward the president. Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle wrote in a court filing that Howell's impartiality might "reasonably be questioned," citing her previous rulings against Trump and remarks in cases against his supporters arising from the events of Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol.

"This Court has not kept its disdain for President Trump secret," Mizelle wrote. "It has voiced its thoughts loudly — both inside and outside the courtroom.

"The entire Fusion GPS fiasco is a lamentable part of this nation's history. As demonstrated through comments in this proceeding, other judicial proceedings, and in the public, observers might reasonably have concerns about the Court's impartiality in this matter. Recusal is warranted to ensure these proceedings fair and free from concerns about impartiality."

But Howell declined to step down, writing in a 21-page order that DOJ's strategy "is designed to impugn the integrity of the federal judicial system and blame any loss on the decision-maker rather than fallacies in the substantive legal arguments presented."

Newsmax has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.