DOJ lawsuit escalates fight over discipline for Trump administration attorneys [View all]

Source: Washington Post

The Trump administration is suing D.C.’s attorney discipline authorities over a recommendation to disbar Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official who was found to have violated legal ethics in his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in favor of Donald Trump.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in D.C. on Wednesday evening, accuses those officials of unlawfully punishing federal government attorneys, impinging on the powers of the executive branch.

The lawsuit is the latest example of the Trump administration asserting its authority to try to redeem Trump allies and supporters who were charged or accused of wrongdoing for their actions around attempts to thwart the 2020 election results.

It also marks an escalation in the administration’s battle with state bar associations and attorney disciplinary boards, which are regulatory groups for the legal profession that ensure practicing attorneys meet educational requirements and ethical standards.

Trump and his allies have denounced state and local bar associations as politically motivated, pushing back on scrutiny the bodies have directed at Trump administration attorneys as they pursue unusual cases and investigatory paths to carry out the president’s political goals.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/05/14/justice-department-sues-dc-bar/

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