Washington (AP) – Department of Justice Recommended to federal agencies They are free to get to the blacklist Law Firm targeted by President Donald Trump Although the judge ruled to stop executing the White House executive order, the order was intended to punish it.
U.S. District Judge John Bates temporarily blocked the provisions of Trump executive orders against Jenner & Block last month, which called on its employees to be denied use of federal buildings and to review and terminate federal contracts held by the company or its clients. The company has been a similarly worded executive order in recent weeks by the Republican president. Some people, such as Jenner & Block Others have reached settlement Avoid being approved by the White House.
In a letter notifying the agency, the person in charge of the ruling Attorney General Pam Bundy and White House Budget Director Russell Vourch Bates criticized as an “unelected district court judge” who “invaded the executive’s privilege of decision-making and freedom of expression.”
“Of course, as noted in the court order, agencies are allowed to conduct ordinary business and have the power to decide who to cooperate with,” the letter filed in court on Tuesday said.
It was later added: “As the administration remains the position of the administration, that Executive Order 14246 is a necessary policy, the government reserves the right to take all necessary and legal actions against “legal, national security issues” and discriminatory practices involving Jenner & Block.”
The position seems inconsistent with President George W. Bush’s order to appoint Bates, who directed the Trump administration to tell federal agencies to ignore executive orders. Another provision of the order, requiring the suspension of active safety permits for the company’s employees, was not challenged and unaffected.
The letter was published later Tuesday as part of the Justice Department’s report on the status of Jenner and the Block litigation. The company, as well as another company targeted by executive orders, Wilmerhale, on Tuesday asked a federal judge to permanently block the execution of the orders.
The executive order against Jenner & Block stems from the fact that the company once hired Andrew Weissmann Team of special counsel Robert Mueller This is the first term of Trump’s term, a potential link between his 2016 campaign and Russia. Weissmann, a frequently public target of Trump’s anger, left the company a few years ago.
Mueller has retired from Wilmerhale, but another White House executive order mentions him and another retired and current partner, both of whom serve on Mueller’s team.
