In scathing ruling, judge halts part of Trump’s executive order against prominent Democratic-tied law firm Perkins Coie
A federal judge on Wednesday halted parts of President Donald Trump’s executive order that targeted a Democratic-linked law firm.
US District Judge Beryl Howell sided with the firm Perkins Coie, which represented Hillary Clinton in 2016 and has been involved in election litigation that Trump opposed.
Howell granted the firm’s request for a temporary restraining order for some sections of Trump’s order. The parts being blocked include its limitations on government contracts with clients of the firm and the potential restrictions it puts on the firm’s employees, such as bans on hiring those employees for government positions or barring their access to federal buildings....
When “the Queen of Hearts yells ‘off with their heads’ for her subjects,” Howell added, that “cannot be the reality we are living under.”
The judge, an appointee of President Barack Obama, said the case also touches on larger tests of Trump’s executive authority. The executive order, she said, is an unconstitutional use of “taxpayer dollars and government resources … to pursue a personal vendetta.”
“The president is certainly entitled to his own beliefs, entitled to his own causes, and entitled to his own dislikes,” Howell said. But the president cannot “bring the federal government down on his political opponents … as he has done here.”
... Howell said the order was an “extreme, unprecedented effort” and had an effect of “blizzard proportions across the legal profession.”
Delivering her decision from the bench, Howell said the justice system depends on zealous advocates on all sides being able to argue for their clients.
“The chilling effect of this executive order, 14230, threatens to significantly undermine the integrity of our entire legal system,” she said....
Howell also said she was blocking Trump’s order because it appears to violate several Constitutional protections, including the right for defendants to choose their lawyers, and the First Amendment right to petition the government. Perkins Coie also had no warning of the executive order or chance to oppose it before the White House issued it last Thursday, violating their due process, the judge added.
I was going to post about that while he was still live streaming, but got distracted. Thanks. TV news said that the auditorium capacity is 400+, "nearly 2000" showed up. Nice day, looked like a protester party outside. 