Washington DC: US President Donald Trump on Friday night (local time) ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to review the conduct of lawyers and law firms the administration considers to have filed frivolous lawsuits against the Trump administration or attempted to block immigration initiatives, CNN reported.
In a late-night memorandum, Trump revisited past grudges against lawyers who have opposed him and vowed to punish lawyers and law firms by revoking security clearances and cancelling federal contracts they hold.
The move broadened Trump's crackdown on the legal community in the US, as per CNN.
The memo directs Bondi "to seek sanctions against attorneys and law firms who engage in frivolous, unreasonable, and vexatious litigation against the United States or in matters before executive departments and agencies of the United States."
It also directs Bondi "to review conduct by attorneys or their law firms in litigation against the Federal Government over the last 8 years" to determine and recommend to the president "additional steps that may be taken, including reassessment of security clearances held by the attorney, termination of any contract for which the relevant attorney or law firm has been hired to perform services, or any other appropriate actions," as per CNN.
The actual impact of the memo is unclear, because the broad language doesn't define what conduct would warrant punishment for lawyers and firms.
The memo focuses largely on attorneys involved in immigration cases, and it orders the attorney general to file misconduct complaints against lawyers who the administration determines have acted improperly.
Trump's recent targeting of the legal community appeared to secure him concessions from at least one top law firm this week.
"In everything we do, we're restoring law, restoring order and restoring public safety in America... and we're bringing honor and integrity and accountability back to the highest levels of the FBI, The Justice Department, and throughout our government," the White House said in a post on X.
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