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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrump signs order targeting law firm behind $787.5m Fox defamation suit -- The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/09/trump-executive-order-fox-news-law-firmOrder punishes Susman Godfrey, which helped Dominion Voting Systems get millions from Fox for 2020 election lies
Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday punishing the law firm that helped Dominion Voting Systems obtain a $787.5m settlement from Fox for lies about the 2020 election.
The order against the firm, Susman Godfrey, marks the latest effort by the president to punish attorneys and firms who have opposed his interests.
The order seeks to harm the firm by limiting its attorneys from accessing government buildings, revoking security clearances and essentially making it impossible for it to represent anyone who has business before the federal government.
Trumps rationale for targeting the firm was not immediately clear.
. . .
The order against the firm, Susman Godfrey, marks the latest effort by the president to punish attorneys and firms who have opposed his interests.
The order seeks to harm the firm by limiting its attorneys from accessing government buildings, revoking security clearances and essentially making it impossible for it to represent anyone who has business before the federal government.
Trumps rationale for targeting the firm was not immediately clear.
. . .
"Trumps rationale for targeting the firm was not immediately clear."
WTF? Of course, it is perfectly clear. I hope The Guardian does not get caught in the "white-washing" machine.
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Trump signs order targeting law firm behind $787.5m Fox defamation suit -- The Guardian (Original Post)
erronis
Apr 2025
OP
Maddow Blog-Why the White House's latest law firm offensive is different from most
LetMyPeopleVote
Apr 2025
#1
LetMyPeopleVote
(174,853 posts)1. Maddow Blog-Why the White House's latest law firm offensive is different from most
Why the White Houses latest law firm offensive is different from most. Susman represented clients who sued Fox News and other parties favored by trump and won
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/white-houses-latest-law-firm-offensive-different-rcna200610
But with Susman Godfrey, its not quite as obvious and while the official order was over 900 words long, none went into detail about the firms alleged transgressions. (The order noted that Susman Godfrey administers a program where it offers financial awards and employment opportunities only to students of color, which Team Trump apparently finds outrageous, though this hardly warranted an aggressive response from the Oval Office.)
So why did Trump target this specific firm? Many of the news reports about the executive order noted that Susman Godfrey represented Dominion Voting Systems in the defamation case against Fox News, and it seems plausible that the president would want to punish a firm that clashed with a politically aligned media outlet.
Reuters report noted that Susman Godfrey is also representing Dominion in defamation lawsuits against the presidents former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, former Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell, and others related to false claims that the 2020 election was rigged against Trump.
Its also of interest that firm represents The New York Times in its copyright suit against OpenAI and Microsoft.
But lets also not forget that it was just last month when Media Matters filed suit against Elon Musks X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter), and the progressive media watchdog is represented in the case by you guessed it Susman Godfrey.
To be sure, Ive seen no evidence to suggest that Trump signed an order targeting the firm at the behest of his top campaign donor, but as the dispute unfolds, its a detail worth keeping in mind.
So why did Trump target this specific firm? Many of the news reports about the executive order noted that Susman Godfrey represented Dominion Voting Systems in the defamation case against Fox News, and it seems plausible that the president would want to punish a firm that clashed with a politically aligned media outlet.
Reuters report noted that Susman Godfrey is also representing Dominion in defamation lawsuits against the presidents former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, former Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell, and others related to false claims that the 2020 election was rigged against Trump.
Its also of interest that firm represents The New York Times in its copyright suit against OpenAI and Microsoft.
But lets also not forget that it was just last month when Media Matters filed suit against Elon Musks X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter), and the progressive media watchdog is represented in the case by you guessed it Susman Godfrey.
To be sure, Ive seen no evidence to suggest that Trump signed an order targeting the firm at the behest of his top campaign donor, but as the dispute unfolds, its a detail worth keeping in mind.
erronis
(22,650 posts)2. Thank you for those details. I doubt reported by the MSM.