Washington, DC – Last night, the President issued a memorandum titled “Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and Federal Court,” appearing to target those who represent clients in matters adverse to the federal government and specifically targeting Marc Elias*, a prominent attorney and voting rights champion, and a number of unnamed lawyers who work on immigration matters and/or legal matters that “implicate national security, homeland security, public safety, and election integrity.” This memorandum is the latest in a series of disturbing steps taken by the President, who has publicly declared that he would be “going after… a lot of law firms” and has also targeted the American Bar Association, the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. 

Since assuming office, the President has attempted to fire lawyers and watchdogs within the federal government, including those at the Department of Justice (DOJ) who worked to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the violent attack on the nation’s Capitol on January 6, 2021, as well as threatened private firms for their representation of people and issues the President does not like. In a quieter move, the President also issued an Oval Office memo aiming to make it harder for organizations, communities, and individuals to sue the administration to enforce their rights, directing the DOJ to seek bonds from plaintiffs during litigation, a tactic from Project 2025 that many courts to date have rejected. These actions come as the Trump administration has come under scrutiny for its compliance with federal court orders. 

Democracy Forward President & CEO Skye Perryman issued the following statement today:

“The ongoing threats to the legal profession and the rule of law by the President are intended to intimidate and inspire fear, but instead they should inspire action. The President’s increasing targeting of lawyers, the legal profession, and judges is in response to a number of instances where communities across the nation have had to go to federal court to protect their rights from this administration’s overreach and where judges nominated by both Republican and Democratic presidents and confirmed by the U.S. Senate have found that the Trump-Vance administration’s actions warrant scrutiny and, in many cases, are unlawful. 

“Instead of working through the legal process or seeking to govern in ways that comply with the U.S. Constitution and our nation’s laws, the Trump-Vance administration has opted for a course of retribution and intimidation.

“The administration’s attacks on the legal profession should concern every single American regardless of political or ideological affiliation, as they are designed to deter people and communities across the nation from defending their rights and seeking their day in court. Indeed, the legal profession not only guards the rule of law but it is also a profession that, in this moment, is helping the American people find their voice and courage to oppose harmful governmental actions and unlawful restraints on our freedom. 

“As a national legal organization dedicated to democracy and social progress, Democracy Forward will continue to use the law to protect the rights of people and communities. We are in solidarity with all who respect the rule of law and those sworn to uphold it. We will not allow intimidating tactics in or outside the courtroom to deter our work, abridge our solidarity, or undermine the purpose of our profession. We urge all lawyers to fulfill their duty to defend and protect the Constitution.” 

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*Marc Elias serves as the Board Chair of Democracy Forward.

Democracy Forward is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.