A federal judge ruled Friday that President Trump's executive order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie is unconstitutional and permanently blocked the administration from enforcing it.

In a 102-page decision, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled in favor of the firm and said Mr. Trump's directive that sought to punish it sent the message that "lawyers must stick to the party line, or else."

"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,'" Howell wrote.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-executive-order-perkins-coie-law-firm-unconstitutional/

From Judge Howell's ruling:

(4) ORDERED that:

A. defendants are PERMANENTLY ENJOINED from implementing or enforcing
Executive Order 14230 in any way;

Big whoop.

 

Next week, it'll be overruled on appeal.

 

This is good news hopefully it’s a big enough fig leaf for the law firms to hide behind and protect themselves from trumps authoritarian attacks and intimidation!!

Somehow I doubt that a federal judge can dictate to the Executive branch as to whom can be issued with security clearances, or with whom they can or cannot transact normal business.  

Final sentence of Judge Howell's order:

(6) ORDERED that the Clerk of the Court shall close this case.
SO ORDERED.
This is a final and appealable order.
Date: May 2, 2025

3 hours ago, impulse said:

Big whoop.

 

Next week, it'll be overruled on appeal.

 

 

2 hours ago, Gsxrnz said:

Somehow I doubt that a federal judge can dictate to the Executive branch as to whom can be issued with security clearances, or with whom they can or cannot transact normal business.  

 

Thank you both for your profound and penetrating analysis of the situation.

1 minute ago, placeholder said:

Thank you both for your profound and penetrating analysis of the situation.

 

You're welcome.  Let us know if we can be of further assistance.

 

From the MEMORANDUM OPINION:

The Supreme Court has long made clear that “no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics . . . or other matters of opinion.” W.Va. State Bd. of Educ. v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624, 642 (1943).

Simply put, government officials “cannot . . . use the power of the State to punish or suppress disfavored expression.” NRA v. Vullo, 602 U.S. 175, 188 (2024).

That, however, is exactly what is happening here.

Posts using derogatory and toxic nicknames or intentional misspelling of people’s names will be removed. If you don’t want your post to be removed, spell people’s names correctly, this applies to both sides of the political debate.

Perkins Coie’s 2016 work with Fusion GPS and the Steele dossier (despite its discreditation and key lawyers like Marc Elias leaving the firm) pushed the knowingly false Russia collusion narrative and at a minimum need (staff lawyers and others involved) their security clearances revoked in the interests of national security.