The White House said the lawsuit filed by a law firm tied to the FBI's Russian investigation during President Donald Trump's first term was known among conservatives as “Russian conspiracy hoax” – was “absurd.”
Perkins Coie hired a company responsible for composing the so-called “Steele Dossier,” released in 2017. He filed a motion in Washington's federal court on Tuesday regarding Trump's relationship with Russia, which was used to obtain a surveillance warrant for former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, demanding a temporary restraining order that would stop the Trump administration from revoking access to federal resources.
US Judge Beryl Howell approved the request Wednesday afternoon.
“The Trump administration is working efficiently to eliminate federal waste, fraud and abuse,” White House spokesman Harrison Fields said in a statement to Fox News Digital in a statement Wednesday evening. “It's ridiculous that a billion-dollar law firm is suing to maintain access to government perks and handouts.”
Chad Mizzell, chief of staff for Perkins Koy and Attorney General Pam Bondy, appeared before US Judge Beryl Howell on Wednesday afternoon.
Attorney Dane Butwincus, who represents Perkins Koy, said about a quarter of the company's revenue comes from clients responsible for government contracts, comparing Trump's orders to “waiting for the tsunami to hit the company.”
Additionally, Howell said Wednesday that the order would “make my spine almost cold.”
Trump signed the March 6 executive order and suspended the March 6 security clearance until further reviews assessing access to confidential information were completed and determined whether it was consistent with national interests.
The order also elicited access to sensitive information facilities for Perkins Coie employees and restricted access to government employees. The order also prevents the federal government from hiring Perkins COIE employees without specific permission.
The judge dismisses Trump's lawsuit claiming infamously related documents, and his “scandalous claims” undermines his reputation
President Donald Trump signs the March 6 executive order and will suspend security clearance for Perkins COIE employees until further review. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
As a result, Perkins Koy's lawsuit argues that the Trump administration's executive order is “a humiliation against the constitution and our hostile system of justice,” and that the order means that the company's ability to represent its clients is “under a direct and imminent threat.”
Similarly, the lawsuit alleges a procedural due process in breaching the order, as it failed to give Perkins the opportunity to challenge the charges contained in the executive order.
“The order violates core constitutional protections, including the right to free speech and legitimate processes, and undermines the rights of all clients to choose an attorney for their choice,” a spokesperson for Perkins Coie said in a statement Tuesday. “We were forced to take this step to protect our company and protect our clients' interests.”
The attorney general of states, including California, Arizona, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, submitted Amicus' brief support for Perkins Coie to highlight the principles of law and the order of freedom of speech in this case.
“Through official actions, the president sought to rule out certain lawyers and certain perspectives from reaching the court,” the coalition of Attorney Generals wrote in a brief. “This is a dignified message to lawyers across the country. Unless they advance positions that favor the current administration or represent clients, their livelihoods may be at risk, and their patriotism is put into question.”
Perkins Koy represented Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee in the 2016 election, and Trump represented former President Joe Biden after he challenged Biden's 2020 election victory.
Mark Elias, former chairman of the company's political law practices, hired opposition research firm Fusion GPS in April 2016 to conduct opposition research on Trump's presidential candidate Trump on behalf of Trump's opponents Clinton and the Democratic National Committee.
Carter's Page Fisa warrant had no possible cause, the DOJ admits in a declassified rating.
Former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele has prepared documents after Fusion GPS hired him. (Getty Images)
Fusion GPS hired former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele, who wrote the so-called “Steele Dossier.” The document, released by BuzzFeed News in 2017, contained shocking and almost unverified allegations, including details of Trump's engagement in sexual activity with a Russian prostitute.
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Trump, who repeatedly denied the claims contained in the documents, filed a lawsuit against Orbis Business Intelligence in September 2023. The judge threw the case in February 2024.
Meanwhile, Trump said Thursday it was an “honor” to sign the executive order.
“What they did, it's just terrible,” Trump said. “It's weaponization. You could say it's weaponization against a political enemy. It's never allowed to happen again.”
Breanne Deppisch of Fox News contributed to this report.
