King Don strikes again

In an Oval Office ceremony, the president signed an executive order hitting the large international law firm Perkins Coie with a sweeping directive that bans the federal government from hiring it, or from using contractors who work with it, except in limited circumstances. The order also bars Perkins Coie employees from entering federal buildings and suspends their security clearances.

The firm represented Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 presidential race, and it also contracted with the research firm that produced the now-discredited opposition dossier that alleged extensive contacts between Trump and Russia.

  

Has it truly been discredited?

A White House official said the move targeted Perkins Coie because of its track record on Trump.

“The president doesn’t believe they should have the privileges afforded to companies of their stature to work and operate with the federal government, since they have made it very clear they are vehemently against the president of the United States, and their work proves that,” a senior administration official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to talk frankly about the sensitive decision-making behind the order.

[...]

“This is an absolute honor to sign,” Trump said from his Oval Office desk.

A spokesman for Perkins Coie said in a statement that the executive order is “patently unlawful, and we intend to challenge it.”

[...]

Perkins Coie is the second law firm Trump has taken action against or decried as engaging “in the weaponization of the judicial process.”

Last week, he ordered the suspension of security clearances of some attorneys at Covington & Burling, which has represented special counsel Jack Smith pro bono. Smith led the federal investigations of Trump for allegedly mishandling classified materials and trying to block the 2020 election results.

[...]

“By taking these actions against these major law firms, it is effectively sending a message to all the lawyers that you best not challenge this administration, or you, your lawyers and your clients will suffer,” [Mark Zaid, a national security lawyer] said. “It is the most un-American thing I’ve ever heard.”

Yet.

UPDATE 04:19 pm:

UPDATE 03/09/2025: