The infamously despicable attorney Roy Cohn put some effort into mentoring a young Donald Trump, but Cohn really belonged to Trump’s P.O.S. father. In fact, Trump is known to have sometimes complained ‘Where’s MY Roy Cohn?’ Awful enabler that he was not even former AG Barr was down on Cohn’s level. New AG Pam Bondi might get there, and even more than under Barr the DOJ is already Trump’s personal law firm. That’s better, or worse depending on how you look at it than any single Roy Cohn. However that’s not been enough for Trump and he has bullied some of the country’s top law firms into “deals” that could cost THEM, and ‘bigly.’ I’m not sure they thought it through, and already they are learning the hard way their deal with the devil was a bad one.
In this article from Politico we see that some additional major firms have capitulated to Trump, but that some are standing up to him. Over the long haul I think it’s likely those in the first group, the COWARDS will wish they’d been in the second. Trump has raged over lawyers and law firms that have stood up to him, and/or pursued legal cases (both civil and criminal) against him. He calls it weaponization of the law against him. Trump clearly has a ‘How DARE this lawyer/law firm go against ME? The Donald?’ So he’s vowed revenge and ordered his (and it is now HIS) DOJ to investigate/go after them.
You’d think accomplished and previously highly respected lawyers and especially major law firms would shrug that off with a ‘Take your best shot a$$hole. The LAW is on our side and even your SCOTUS appointees will take OUR side in the end.’ However Senior Partners at some major firms have chosen to throw the hundreds of lawyers beneath them under the bus to protect their own cushy earnings and retirements. Deals were made to stop “picking on poor little Trump (who I have to add PAINTS HIS FACE ORANGE!) and instead donate millions in pro bono work (more on that in a bit) and end ‘dastardly’ stuff like DEI. I’m guessing they assumed there’d be some initial blowback, some bad PR but it would quickly blow over. That Trump would just ignore them. Well, I think they now are wincing about the crowing being done by Trump and his goons at the WH:
“President Trump and his Administration have entered into an agreement with these long established firms, which have affirmed their strong commitment to ending the Weaponization of the Justice System and the Legal Profession,” the White House said. “The President continues to fulfill his promise to the American People that the Age of Partisan Lawfare in America is OVER.”
Regrettably there’s too many firms to list so I urge you to read the linked article. After the paragraph cited above it goes on to point out something obvious: two of the largest law firms caving in to Trump shows the legal community is divided on how to respond to Trump’s threats. The good news is that plenty of major players are telling Trump to go pound sand:
But other firms on the receiving end of Trump’s attacks haven’t gone to the negotiating table. Trump signed orders stripping the security clearances, blocking federal contracts or access to federal government buildings for Seattle firm Perkins Coie, Chicago firm Jenner & Block and D.C. firm WilmerHale. Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block and WilmerHale have all filed suit against the administration.
In the Perkins Coie case, a federal judge blocked the administration from enforcing much of the order — saying Trump’s moves had clear “retaliatory animus” and were likely unconstitutional. Perkins Coie has long provided legal services to the Democratic National Committee and to campaigns, including that of former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Again, I can’t help but wonder whether the powers-that-be at the firms that caved to Trump’s demands thought the whole thing through. Both small firms with one big name and seriously great attorney and the big name (in the legal community – most of the public don’t know who’s who) firms are HUGE for a reason. Great lawyering and winning cases including complex and/or tough ones. Clients, both corporate and rich individuals pay through the nose for these lawyers/firms services. That’s why these legal eagles are SO freaking rich, and associates from top law schools sign on for years of grunt work to try and rise through the ranks. Plenty of those “lesser” lawyers are looking for other jobs these days and that’s bad for the firm’s long-term.
More importantly and more immediately there’s the fact that CLIENTS are out there who don’t like what the coward firms have done. Trump as you know faced massive legal problems before the election, both civil and CRIMINAL. Yet, if you paid much attention he was represented almost exclusively by second (or sometimes third – think parking lot lawyer Alina Habba) rate lawyers. Even at firms that catered to conservatives there was a desire to avoid being covered in the ‘Trump Stench.’ In large part because Trump was just one rich (sort of – mostly just highly leveraged) guy and MOST of their clients didn’t want to be represented by lawyers/firms connected to Trump!
I for one think some of those same discussions are going on in corporate boardrooms, and by rich folks with their confidants about whether they want to have a lawyer/firm that’s PUBLICLY now under Trump’s stubby thumb? Especially when there are firms out there that show the kind of guts, the fight they expect a lawyer/firm that charges them more than you or I make in a lifetime who AREN’T controlled by Trump? Oh, and those firms standing up to Trump will have their pick of the litter in associates for their boiler rooms, and junior partnerships. Maybe even some new SENIOR partners! I know if I was in need of and able to afford the best legal talent I’d want lawyers who weren’t afraid on ANYONE. Except of course a judge hearing their case.
So that’s one reason I think the decision to cave in to Trump will backfire on the firms that have done so. However, there’s another. Watching Morning Joe this morning (sometimes I still watch it for a while) I saw a pundit raise an interesting point, and then Michael Schmidt (husband of Nicole Wallace) expand on. These firms seem to have believed nothing, or not much with their pro bono work would change. They already devote resources to causes that Trump wouldn’t object to, like helping Veterans for example.
It seems however Trump has something different in mind and word is getting around. TRUMP is expecting them to take on causes and clients HE picks, including helping the administration on controversial policies. Even pro bono legal services to people Trump picks! Schmidt indicated there’s some ‘Uh Oh, this isn’t what we assumed we’d agree to’ sentiment starting to spread in these firms. Going back to something I already said, there are clients who will NOT want lawyers/firms publicly connected to Trump doing his dirty work. Especially as Trump’s approval has fallen so much and so fast, and almost certainly won’t improve. If anything disapproval of Trump and those associated with him will grow.
Regret is something we’ve all experienced. For those who are lucky what prompted it was small enough that it passes. However sometimes regret is a powerful thing because we are haunted by what we did (or did not do) that created the regret. Sometimes it’s only personal. For example every time I feel lonely I experience regret over blowing a relationship with a truly wonderful woman who I came to realize was even more perfect for me than I knew back when I let my job get in the way of things. But sometimes the regret is because the source costs us professionally and/or monetarily.
THAT is what I think these legal idiots who went crawling to Trump saying ‘Please don’t hurt me/us. I/we will leave you alone and never challenge you again if you leave us alone.’ Those are EXACTLY the kinds of “suckers and losers” that it brings joy to Trump to torment. And that friends is what those pundits were driving at on Morning Joe with being as blunt as I’ve been. I know it’s a no-no nowdays using certain expressions but sometimes offensive ones convey things exactly right, as in now saying “Payback is a Bitch” and it’s likely a whole bunch of lawyers are going to get a lesson in payback for cowardice. Trump played them for suckers, and before long he’ll turn them into LOSERS too. I for one won’t feel a bit of sympathy for them. Or junior partners and associates who chose to remain with ships that have sprung ‘bigly’ leaks at every seam.
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There are no qualified lawyers left in the DOJ.
What? Did they think the extortionist was going to stop at the first demand?
They thought they were being clever: Hmm, for the pro bono work we’ll just give him Sally the Carpet Sweeper, the newest hire. I don’t think that’s gonna work when the first judge throws her out for being, well, too much like Alina Habba, Even if she does looks great in a swim suit around the pool at MargoLardo. Even widdle Stevie Miller will suss that out right away. OR, they just pile up more losses. Or BOTH! 🙂
Wow…you seem to STILL believe in the corrupt bureaucracy of the LAW…after THEY are the reason we now have a taterdick…er dicktater in power. I’m with JFK…his quote: those who make democracy impossible make revolution inevitable. We’re well on our way…and rich lawyers will not step up to sacrifice any goddamn thing…that’s why they draft kids, place a gun in his hand, and say go get wounded or killed to protect our assets…er…your country. Right. Sure. Better brush up on your spanish…the gangs in trump’s Spanish gulag might go easier on you…me? Already did a stint in the pen as a political prisoner. I’m trained. I already know it’s a fight to the death. Our country has no memory. Killers don’t care either way. They have none either. It would require a conscience. That’s now against the law anyway. Good luck over the rainbow.
Just do a half assed job for the administration.
They’d still be better than what trump’s got now
I’m firmly convinced the rich bureaucrats will whine, complain, and continue to let our rights evaporate, RATHER than step up as WARRIORS and raise hell in every way possible. The rich and powerful stick together no matter what. When things get desperate and we have nothing to lose…those 400 million guns may come in handy…just as the gop has been saying for decades. Ironic.
His approval ratings are in the toilet, particularly about his handling of the economy and foreign policy. Unfortunately,, unless some Republicans grow a spine and a conscience, we’re stuck with dipshit until 1/20/2029.