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The American Bar Association, the largest U.S. attorney membership organization, is suing the Trump administration to block it from enforcing an alleged ?policy of punishing law firms over their past legal work, diversity policies, ?and political ties.
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Trump’s executive orders against prominent law firms sought to ?revoke lawyers’ security clearances, restricted their access to federal buildings and threatened to ?end U.S. government contracts held by the firms’ clients. Judges last year struck down ?the executive orders in rulings that are now on appeal.
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In its new court filing, the ABA is seeking internal documents and communications about Trump’s orders as evidence. The group also ?wants records connected to agreements that nine law firms struck with the White ?House last year to rescind or avoid similar executive orders.
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The ABA is represented by Susman ?Godfrey, ?one of the firms targeted by Trump’s executive orders. Their filing argued the requests for information are narrow and that the White House cannot assert the presidential communications privilege over agreements with private third parties.
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The administration so far has not invoked the ?privilege but has ?called the ABA’s ?records requests overbroad.
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The ABA is also pursuing documents and testimony from Boris Epshteyn, a longtime adviser to Trump. The Justice ?Department last week asked, opens new tab a federal judge in New York ?to block ?the effort. It said the ABA was attempting to obtain information that would intrude on protected communications.
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