Trump Administration Sues D.C. Over Attorney Discipline System
The Trump administration has taken legal action against the District of Columbia’s attorney discipline process, asserting that it retaliates against government lawyers for performing their duties.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a complaint on Wednesday against D.C. Disciplinary Counsel Hamilton P. Fox III, the D.C. Office of Disciplinary Counsel, and the D.C. Court of Appeals Board on Professional Responsibility. The complaint has been submitted to a federal court in Washington, D.C., as reported by United Press International (UPI).
The DOJ alleges that D.C.’s disciplinary system applies its rules inconsistently, suggesting it disproportionately targets current and former federal attorneys, especially those associated with Republican administrations, according to a report by the Washington Examiner. The department claims this practice undermines constitutional protections for the independence of the executive branch.
The case highlights concerns surrounding Jeff Clark, a former assistant attorney general, with efforts underway to overturn his disbarment. The disciplinary actions against Clark stem from confidential discussions within the executive branch regarding potential fraud in the 2020 election, a matter that has been in litigation for almost six years.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche criticized the D.C. Bar, stating, “As our complaint and history make clear, the DC Bar has long acted as a blatantly partisan arm of leftist causes. No more.” This was shared in a statement from the DOJ.
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who initiated the complaint, emphasized that the lawsuit seeks to protect internal government discussions from external scrutiny. He stated, “The D.C. Bar will no longer be permitted to probe sensitive Executive Branch deliberations and target Executive Branch officials with whom they happen to politically disagree. Federal attorneys will once again be free to share their candid legal advice.”
Clark’s appeal has garnered support from three former U.S. attorneys general: William Barr, Jeff Sessions, and Michael Mukasey.
The complaint also references Ed Martin, a former interim U.S. attorney who is currently a pardon attorney. Martin faced ethics charges in 2026 regarding a letter he sent to Georgetown University Law Center about the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, as reported by the Washington Examiner.
Clark and Martin are not the only officials under scrutiny; in 2025, a complaint was lodged against former District of New Jersey U.S. Attorney Alina Habba by the left-leaning group Campaign for Accountability. Moreover, a coalition of groups urged the Florida bar to investigate former Attorney General Pam Bondi that same year.
This lawsuit follows an earlier initiative by the DOJ to protect its lawyers. In March, the department proposed a rule allowing it to review ethics allegations against its attorneys before state bars act, requesting that those bars delay their inquiries until the DOJ’s review concludes. Blanche had previously hinted at this change during a convention hosted by the Federalist Society last November.
The Daily Caller attempted to contact the D.C. Office of Disciplinary Counsel for comments but had not received any response by the time of publication.
