Attorney General Bondi blasts judge who blocked executive order targeting law firm Trump sought to punish
By Evan Perez, CNN
(CNN) — Attorney General Pam Bondi railed against a federal judge who partially blocked enforcement of President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting the Jenner & Block law firm, telling government agencies to stop enforcing the order despite the “blatant overstepping of the judicial power,” while suggesting that the agencies are still permitted “to decide with whom to work.”
The stark language, written in a memo filed in court documents Tuesday, was issued jointly by Bondi and Russell Vought, director for the Office of Management and Budget, and was required to be sent to all executive branch agencies as part of an order by Judge John Bates who issued a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit brought by the firm.
The memo from Bondi and Vought begins: “On March 28, 2025, an unelected district court yet again invaded the policy-making and free speech prerogatives of the executive branch, including by requiring the Attorney General and the OMB Director to pen a letter to the head of every executive department and agency. Local district judges lack this authority, and the Supreme Court should swiftly constrain these judges’ blatant overstepping of the judicial power.”
“Of course, as noted in the court order, agencies are permitted to carry on their ordinary course of business which carries with it the authority to decide with whom to work,” the memo continued.
The language in the memo, particularly telling agencies they can still choose to not work with the firms, is highly unusual and combative for an attorney general.
The memo, filed in federal court, was required as proof that the government was complying with the judge’s order that it would cease enforcement of parts of the executive order. The filing was signed by Chad Mizelle, the attorney general’s chief of staff and acting associate attorney general.
Jenner is one of three firms that have sued the government – and won temporary restraining orders – over the executive orders that Trump has said were in response to their partners’ or clients’ political work and ties to criminal investigations that probed Trump.
Trump’s executive orders have restricted several major law firms’ ability to do business with the federal government.
A number of other firms have caved to the threat of possible executive orders against them and have made deals with the White House.
CNN previously reported Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP – which employs former second gentleman Doug Emhoff – agreed to a deal with Trump, which the president said includes the firm providing at least $100 million in pro bono legal services throughout his second term.
Before the Willkie agreement was announced, Emhoff addressed the matter saying, “The rule of law is under attack. Democracy is under attack. And so, all of us lawyers need to do what we can to push back on that.”
Trump made similar agreements with the law firms Paul Weiss; Milbank; and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
In his blocking of the executive order against Jenner, Bates, a President George W. Bush appointee, called the targeting of the firm “disturbing” and said it was unlikely to survive a constitutional challenge.
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