Trump Gets Law Firm He Targeted With Executive Order to Do Free Work for Him

[SunSeeker]

Source: Daily Beast

Donald Trump announced Thursday that he was rescinding his executive order against a law firm that sued alleged Jan. 6 rioters, but with several catches, among them that the firm must do $40 million of free work for the administration.

Last Friday, Trump’s order rescinded federal government contracts held by Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. The order cited a pro bono suit against suspected Jan. 6 rioters and the re-hiring of Mark Pomerantz, who worked in the Manhattan’s district attorney’s office during its investigation of Trump, as cause for presidential action. The order also accused the Manhattan firm of race and gender discrimination.

In addition to revoking contracts, Trump ordered the same for firm members’ active security clearances.

It was amid those drastic measures that Trump announced that he was able to extract considerable value from the firm in exchange for dropping the order.He continued that it will “not adopt, use, or pursue any DEI policies,” and, most stunningly, “will dedicate the equivalent of $40 million in pro bono legal services over the course of President Trump’s term to support the Administration’s initiatives, including: assisting our Nation’s veterans, fairness in the Justice System, the President’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, and other mutually agreed projects.”

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-gets-law-firm-he-targeted-with-executive-order-to-do-free-work-for-him/

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This is a stunning $40 million shakedown of a top law firm.

[yellow dahlia]

1. So many things wrong w/ this. It creates a permission structure.

There were many who folded and betrayed their fellow citizens in Nazi Germany, as well.

[James48]

2. From the Criminal Resource Manual

Extortion-

2403. Hobbs Act -- Extortion By Force, Violence, Or Fear

In order to prove a violation of Hobbs Act extortion by the wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence, or fear, the following questions must be answered affirmatively:

Did the defendant induce or attempt to induce the victim to give up property or property rights?
"Property" has been held to be "any valuable right considered as a source of wealth." United States v. Tropiano, 418 F.2d 1069, 1075 (2d Cir. 1969) (the right to solicit garbage collection customers). "Property" includes the right of commercial victims to conduct their businesses. See United States v. Zemek, 634 F.3d 1159, 1174 (9th Cir. 1980) (the right to make business decisions and to solicit business free from wrongful coercion) and cited cases). It also includes the statutory right of union members to democratically participate in union affairs. See United States v. Debs, 949 F.2d 199, 201 (6th Cir. 1991) (the right to support candidates for union office); United States v. Teamsters Local 560, 550 F. Supp. 511, 513-14 (D.N.J. 1982), aff'd, 780 F.2d 267 (3rd Cir. 1985) (rights guaranteed union members by the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, 29 U.S.C. § 411).

Did the defendant use or attempt to use the victim's reasonable fear of physical injury or economic harm in order to induce the victim's consent to give up property?
A defendant need not create the fear of injury or harm which he exploits to induce the victim to give up property. See United States v. Duhon, 565 F.2d 345, 349 and 351 (5th Cir. 1978) (offer by employer to pay union official for labor peace held to be "simply planning for inevitable demand for money" by the union official under the circumstances); United States v. Gigante, 39 F.3d 42, 49 (2d Cir. 1994), vacated on other grounds and superseded in part on denial of reh'g, 94 F.3d 53 (2d Cir. 1996) (causing some businesses to refuse operations with the victim sufficiently induced the victim's consent to give up property, consisting of a right to contract freely with other businesses, as long as there were other businesses beyond defendants' control with whom the victim could do business).

[Initech]

3. The Heritage Foundation should be banned from DC forever for this shit.

[James48]

4. From Title 18 United States Code

18 USC

§872. Extortion by officers or employees of the United States
Whoever, being an officer, or employee of the United States or any department or agency thereof, or representing himself to be or assuming to act as such, under color or pretense of office or employment commits or attempts an act of extortion, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; but if the amount so extorted or demanded does not exceed $1,000, he shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

[Prairie Gates]

5. "How is it that the whole of German society... at the time, on the forefront of science

...philosophy, engineering; with a vibrant and modern cultural scene; on the forefront of modern architecture and design; forward looking in business and industry; how is it, we ask, that the whole of German society could have gone along so easily with the lunatic program of Hitler and his accomplices? How is it?"

You're watching it in real time, now, dear. It will end in the same horror.

[SunSeeker]

6. It is just so depressing that one of the biggest and best law firms in the US cowers before him.

This was pure extortion. They really had no other viable choice.

They could have litigated his EO all the way to the Supreme Court, and spent probably millions doing so, all while their security clearances and federal contracts were yanked, which would bankrupt the law firm. Their clients would all have left them. Eventually they would run out of money to keep fighting. Even if they won and got their security clearances back, which under this SCOTUS is iffy at best, all their clients would be gone. Few business clients want to be represented by a firm on the wrong side of an authoritarian regime.

[moniss]

12. While I agree with some of your comment I would point out that

"the whole" did not just go along with it. A lot of people fled Germany and there was a resistance by those who stayed in Germany. Although not as large or effective as in other countries it was still there contrary to modern perception.

"It has been estimated that during the course of World War II 800,000 Germans were arrested by the Gestapo for resistance activities. It has also been estimated that between 15,000 and 77,000 of the Germans were executed by the Nazis." This quote is from the linked article. I would also point out that given the estimated 800,000 Germans arrested there were those who managed to not be arrested and could continue on in their efforts.

I know that the popular portrayal on TV etc. has always been that basically after he came to power and began rounding up Jews, Romani folks and others that the German population more or less fell in line. That was not true then and should be, but usually isn't, called out as factually misleading ever since.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_resistance_to_Nazism

[mjvpi]

7. A deal they could not confuse.

[SunSeeker]

8. Yup. It was this or bankruptcy. nt

[Buddyzbuddy]

9. Easy peasy. Their hourly just bumped up to $40,000,000 per billable hour.

[SomewhereInTheMiddle]

10. The special pro Bozo rate!

[SunSeeker]

11. Ha!

[Dennis Donovan]

13. Legal BlueSky is burning up with this story.

Marc Elias
‪@marcelias.bsky.social‬
It is a sad day for the legal industry. Paul Weiss, didn't just bend a knee, it set a new standard for shameful capitulation. This is a stain on the firm, every one of its partners, and the entire legal profession.

March 20, 2025 at 7:25 PM

https://bsky.app/profile/marcelias.bsky.social/post/3lkttui7sdk24

[Dennis Donovan]

14. Max Kennerly: the chumps at Paul Weiss got played even harder than it appeared

Max Kennerly
‪@maxkennerly.bsky.social‬
LOLOLOLOLOL the chumps at Paul Weiss got played even harder than it appeared, they agreed to a statement and then Trump changed it and published it.

He's going to keep doing this the entire time through that full "$40 million." Then demand more.

And Paul Weiss deserves every bit of it.

‪Angus Johnston‬ ‪
@angus.bsky.social‬
8h
Shot: "The White House and Karp had reached an agreement on the wording of the statement. But despite that agreement, the wording of the statement changed, including a reference to the fact that the firm would 'not adopt, use, or pursue any DEI policies.'"

March 20, 2025 at 11:32 PM

What dopes!!

https://bsky.app/profile/maxkennerly.bsky.social/post/3lkubolsgec2b

[AmericaUnderSiege]

15. Enslaving lawyers, huh?

Law firms are low creatures, but this may not be the brilliant tactics he believes.

[Kid Berwyn]

16. Even the smartest people can cower to NAZI bullies.

There must be a lesson, besides money, but without a working national memory able to access history or civics, I forget.

[Hotler]

17. To bad they didn't call up Marc Elias's team and ask to join the fight to save democracy.

They just surrendered to a convicted felon.

[Paladin]

18. Is anybody else sick of these easy, enormously profitable trump victories?

Just wondering what---if anything---can be done.

And yes, Chuck Schumer: As a matter of fact, that IS a question for you.