One of Trump's Earliest Authoritarian Moves Is Starting to Explode in His Face

"From the moment Donald Trump was sworn into office for his second term, he made clear that a major priority of his administration would be pursuing vindictive actions against his perceived enemies. One of the earliest targets of this agenda of retribution: law firms. In his first months in office, Trump signed executive orders that targeted firms that supported DEI, represented the Democratic Party, advocated for liberal causes, or employed prosecutors who had worked on former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Trump's 2016 campaign."

"At least nine other targeted law firms preemptively capitulated, agreeing to provide some $1 billion in pro bono work for causes agreeable to the president. Four decided to push back and sue. Over the course of a year, four separate judges ruled the president's executive orders were unconstitutional."

"By Tuesday morning, the Department of Justice submitted a new filing with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit asking to withdraw its motion to dismiss, which had been filed one day earlier. "Clown show authoritarianism," Jameel Jaffer, law professor at Columbia University and inaugural director of the school's Knight First Amendment Institute, commented."

Trump's second-term administration prioritized retribution against perceived enemies, with law firms becoming early targets. Executive orders targeted firms supporting DEI initiatives, representing Democrats, advocating liberal causes, or employing prosecutors from the Mueller investigation. Nine firms capitulated by agreeing to provide approximately $1 billion in pro bono work for administration-approved causes. Four firms challenged the orders in court. Over one year, four separate judges ruled the executive orders unconstitutional. The Department of Justice initially moved to dismiss its appeals, suggesting potential recognition of the orders' illegality. However, within 24 hours, the DOJ reversed course, withdrawing its dismissal motion and continuing to defend the orders in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Read at Slate Magazine