‘Most Americans recognize it is wrong’: Lawyers and judges condemn Trump administration
The American Bar Association released a statement on Monday reminding lawyers they must stand up for the rule of law.
The statement comes amid a flood of legal battles between the Trump administration and several workers who were fired.
Americans can expect a certain amount of change with a new administration, the group said. However, "Americans also expect that changes will take place in accordance with the rule of law and in an orderly manner that respects the lives of affected individuals and the work they have been asked to perform," said association president William R. Bay.
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He called out "wide-scale affronts to the rule of law itself" under the new administration, specifically attempts to end birthright citizenship and dismantling USAID, which was congressionally created and funded.
"We have seen attempts at wholesale dismantling of departments and entities created by Congress without seeking the required congressional approval to change the law," Bay continued. "There are efforts to dismiss employees with little regard for the law and protections they merit, and social media announcements that disparage and appear to be motivated by a desire to inflame without any stated factual basis."
He called it "chaotic" and acknowledged it might "appeal to a few," but it doesn't make it right. "Most Americans recognize it is wrong. It is also contrary to the rule of law."
He also said that the Bar Association believes everyone should be held accountable under the law, even the government itself.
Bay quoted U.S. District Judge John Coughenour's ruling last week, saying, “Nevertheless, in this courtroom and under my watch, the rule of law is a bright beacon which I intend to follow.”
"These actions do not make America stronger. They make us weaker," wrote Bay.
He warned there are "real-world consequences" to the mass government purge and public targeting of workers.
"Recently hired employees fear they will lose their jobs because of some matter they were assigned to in the Justice Department or some training they attended in their agency. USAID employees assigned to build programs that benefit foreign countries are being doxed, harassed with name-calling and receiving conflicting information about their employment status," he said, warning it should concern every American.
Bay closed by saying, "The ABA does not oppose any administration. Instead, we remain steadfast in our support for the rule of law."
He asked elected officials to stand up with them in support of the rule of law, though the Republican-led House and Senate have been unwilling to fight back against Trump thus far.
"The administration cannot choose which law it will follow or ignore," Bay argued.
He further called on all attorneys to join him in supporting the oath they all took to become lawyers in which they pledged to follow the law.
‘Free pass’: Ousted watchdog head warns Trump just declared open season for fraud
A former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau chief warned CNN's Brianna Keilar that the Trump administration is signaling a completely free reign for big banks and other financial institutions to defraud, scam, and rip off working Americans.
Since Trump took office and dismissed Rohit Chopra, the CFPB — the post-financial crisis agency responsible for protecting consumers from financial corporate malfeasance, and an agency Republicans have long wanted to destroy — appears to be completely paralyzed, with Trump-aligned tech billionaire Elon Musk declaring the agency dead.
"As you watch what the Trump administration is doing here, why do you think they're doing it?" asked Keilar.
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"Well, I don't know," said Chopra. "I mean, we need to protect people from some of the biggest powerful corporations in America. And over the past few years, we took action so they would forfeit billions of dollars from people that they cheated. Companies like Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and more. And the truth is, people are really worried about high credit card interest rates, how they're going to pay their mortgage. We don't want to see their pocket picked. And by telling people the investigations are over, no more oversight, it just feels like a free pass to some of these big corporations to do whatever they please."
"There are partisan differences, historically, in — CFPB is pretty new, but there are differences of what CFPB's role should be, opinions on the agency," said Keilar. "Why is this different than just that?"
"Well, you know, I would say that there isn't so much partisan difference when you look at the actual work," said Chopra. "Medical bills, junk fees, protecting our personal data, it really enjoys broad support. The only place it's controversial is in Washington, and especially with the lobbyists representing Wall Street and these big companies. So, you know, here's what's different. This is in some ways a 'Defund the Police' movement that they're pushing when it comes to big corporations. The CFPB is one of the only agencies that is overseeing these very large financial institutions. And increasingly, big tech giants are wanting to control the flow of money and payments. And they, too, have been potentially wanting to interfere with the agency's operations as well."
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Epstein’s ‘friendship’ with Trump at center of ‘major security liability’: leading Dem
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) issued a fierce demand Monday to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche regarding President Donald Trump’s “long-term friendship” with Jeffrey Epstein, arguing it may have not only influenced the Trump administration’s policies, but created a “major national security liability.”
Raskin's demand came in the form of a letter to Blanche's office requesting records on Epstein's foreign ties, details of which have emerged through the Justice Department's release of millions of Epstein-related files that started last year. Specifically, Raskin’s request centered around suspicions that Epstein acted as a “foreign agent” for multiple countries, and on some occasions, did so “in order to influence policies of the first Trump administration.”
“Given the information Mr. Epstein possessed about President Trump and his easy access to high-level officials in the President’s inner circle, Mr. Epstein’s relationships with foreign leaders, including adversaries, posed a major national security liability,” Raskin’s letter reads.
Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, released the letter publicly on Tuesday, in which he cited evidence suggesting that Epstein worked on behalf of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Russia and Israel, a potential violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
Raskin went on to detail several examples as to how Epstein’s friendship with Trump may have created a legitimate “security risk” to the United States, including one involving a “Russian oligarch.”
“Mr. Epstein privately alleged the President was involved in an international money laundering scheme with a Russian oligarch that centered around real estate in Florida. In another missive, Mr. Epstein connects the dots between this scheme and the sale of expensive artwork to [Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman],” Raskin’s letter reads.
“While Mr. Epstein was prone to exaggeration and self-aggrandizement, these emails suggest President Trump’s foreign business interests may have had a tangible effect on foreign policy and that Mr. Epstein knew about and was willing to weaponize such lurking and explosive conflicts of interest.”
Raskin demanded that Blanche's office turn over “all records” related to Epstein and 19 different countries, as well as all records relating to entities associated with Epstein that “may have been set up to avoid their foreign contacts triggering personal FARA registration requirements.”
In the letter, Raskin noted that Epstein, alongside former Trump official Steve Bannon, appeared to employ “strategies for skirting FARA’s requirements,” including the use of non-profit entities and other non-governmental organizations to structure “international arrangements,” and to “use go-betweens so he could remain ‘surgically pure.’”
