Attorney General Ford Joins Coalition in Filing an Amicus Brief to Support Law Firm Politically Targeted by Trump Administration

Carson City, NV – Today, Attorney General Aaron D. Ford announced he has joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in support of Perkins Coie, the Seattle law firm targeted by President Donald Trump for representing clients and taking positions disfavored by the president.

 
“Attempts to bully or intimidate legal professionals for doing their job is an attack on the integrity of our legal system as a whole,” said AG Ford. “To target a law firm for political reasons is anti-American and deeply concerning. Lawyers must feel safe to represent their clients to the best of their ability without having their livelihood or safety put in the crosshairs of partisan political posturing. Otherwise, our legal system cannot function as it should.”

 
A federal judge in Washington, D.C. temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing parts of the order on Wednesday.

The states argue that the president’s March 6 executive order is an attempt “to exclude certain lawyers and certain viewpoints from reaching a court of law at all.” The fact sheet that accompanied the executive order said the White House “will not tolerate” that Perkins Coie “has filed lawsuits against the Trump Administration.”

 
The states’ brief acknowledges that the law firm and state government have been on opposing sides of legal matters. The states believe that regardless of the politics of the day, it is important for clients to be represented effectively in order to allow judges, juries and the court system to make fair and reasoned decisions.

By targeting a law firm for doing its job, the President is attempting to silence lawyers into compliancy. The brief states that “[n]o lawyer should have to fear for their public safety or livelihood for carrying out their ethical duties to vigorously represent their client. Concerns about retaliation may cause some lawyers to be unwilling to take on certain cases or clients altogether."

Joining AG Ford and Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, who is leading the coalition, in filing the briefs are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Vermont.

 
Review a copy of the brief.

 

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