Judge Beryl Howell of the district court for the District of Columbia, granted law firm Perkins Coie’s motion for summary judgment against the Department of Justice, and issued a permanent injunction against Executive Order 14230, tRump’s directive to cut government contracts with the law firm and their clients as punishment against disfavored expression: diversity hiring efforts and the representation of certain opposing political figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The judge said it violates the Constitution’s prohibitions against government officials retaliating against those engaging in protected speech and using their power “to punish or suppress disfavored expression.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n“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 \u2026 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,'” Judge Howell wrote, quoting rebel leader Jack Cade’s henchman, Dick the Butcher, in “Henry VI, Part 2.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Eliminating lawyers as the guardians of the rule of law removes a major impediment to the path to more power,” the judge added. “The importance of independent lawyers to ensuring the American judicial system’s fair and impartial administration of justice has been recognized in this country since its founding era.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The fact that Paul Weiss quickly negotiated a deal, including an agreement to provide ‘the equivalent of $40 million’ in free legal work, rather than face the potential injuries of the similar executive order targeting that firm \u2026 demonstrates the coercive power of such targeting by the Trump administration,” Judge Howell said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Read more at: https:\/\/www.law360.com\/articles\/2335182\/judge-axes-trump-s-perkins-order-with-shakespearean-flourish?copied=1<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s the opinion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n