**Justice Department Encourages Blacklisting of Law Firm Despite Court Ruling**
The U.S. Justice Department has indicated that federal agencies may proceed with blacklisting a law firm that has come under fire from former President Donald Trump, even after a federal judge issued a ruling that temporarily halted the enforcement of a related executive order. Last month, U.S. District Judge John Bates blocked certain provisions of Trump’s executive order aimed at the law firm Jenner & Block, which included measures to restrict access for the firm’s employees to federal buildings and to review and potentially terminate federal contracts associated with the firm or its clients.
Jenner & Block is one of several high-profile firms that have faced similar executive orders from the former president in recent weeks. Some of these firms, including Jenner & Block, have initiated legal action against the orders, while others have reached settlements to avoid sanctions from the White House.
In a letter to agency heads regarding the court’s ruling, Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House budget director Russell Vought criticized Judge Bates, labeling him as an “unelected district court judge” who has overstepped his authority by interfering with the executive branch’s policy-making and free speech rights. The letter emphasized that, as noted in the court order, agencies are still allowed to conduct their regular business, which includes the discretion to choose their partners.
The letter further asserted that the executive branch maintains that Executive Order 14246 was a necessary policy and reserves the right to take all appropriate legal actions concerning “lawfare,” national security issues, and discriminatory practices related to Jenner & Block. This stance appears to contradict Judge Bates’ order, which directed the Trump administration to instruct federal agencies to ignore significant portions of the executive order.
While one provision of the order, which called for the suspension of active security clearances for employees at Jenner & Block, was not challenged and remains in effect, the Justice Department’s letter was made public as part of a report on the status of the ongoing lawsuit involving the firm. On the same day, Jenner & Block and another targeted firm, WilmerHale, requested federal judges to permanently block the enforcement of the executive orders.
The executive order against Jenner & Block was prompted by the firm’s previous employment of Andrew Weissmann, a lawyer who was part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team during the investigation into potential connections between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. Weissmann, who has been a frequent target of Trump’s criticism, left the firm several years ago. Although Mueller has retired from WilmerHale, another executive order referenced him along with other former and current partners who were part of his team.
**FAQ**
**Q: What was the basis for the executive order against Jenner & Block?**
A: The executive order was primarily based on the firm’s past employment of Andrew Weissmann, a lawyer involved in the investigation of former President Trump’s campaign connections to Russia.
