Washington, D.C. — President Donald Trump has initiated a directive to suspend security clearances for employees of Perkins Coie, linking the decision to the Seattle-based law firm’s involvement in various political and legal issues. The executive order, which was signed this past Thursday, took precedence over examining and possibly terminating governmental contracts with Perkins Coie, although no ongoing contracts were cited in federal records at the time of the announcement.
Perkins Coie, a major legal player with substantial ties to the Democratic Party, has historically represented entities like the Democratic National Committee and high-profile campaigns including that of Hillary Clinton in 2016. The law firm also played a pivotal role in procuring the Steele dossier, a document compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele that detailed alleged connections between Trump and foreign governments. The dossier was funded through Fusion GPS, which Perkins Coie had hired.
During the signing ceremony, Trump criticized the law firm’s actions as “terrible,” accusing it of using legal strategies as weapons against political rivals. This move aligns with past actions taken by Trump against perceived adversaries, following previous revocations of security clearances for figures related to probes into his campaign and presidency.
The executive order also echoed a similar action taken last month wherein Trump ceased security clearances for lawyers from Covington & Burling who provided legal aid to Special Counsel Jack Smith. Smith had led federal prosecutions against Trump before they were dismissed subsequent to his 2024 election victory.
In addition to security concerns, the order mandates a comprehensive review of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices at major law firms, including Perkins Coie. This task is delegated to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which will scrutinize hiring processes, promotions, and client relations based on racial criteria.
This targeted review comes after Perkins Coie faced a lawsuit over its diversity fellowship program in 2023. They subsequently opened the program to include all first-year law students, reflecting an adjustment in their approach to inclusivity after the legal challenge.
The broader implications of these executive actions reflect Trump’s ongoing efforts to reshape the relationship between the federal government and entities he considers as aligning against his administration’s ideologies or actions. This step might also set precedents for how legal and security standards are enforced against other institutions in the political and legal arenas.
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