Peace Deal Between White House and Law Firm
President Donald Trump has reached a peace deal with a prominent law firm, agreeing to lift a punitive executive order in exchange for concessions that include an agreement to do pro bono work on behalf of conservative causes.
Rescinding the Executive Order
The White House said in a social media post Thursday that it would rescind the executive order Trump imposed March 14 on Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison as part of a broader assault on law firms he viewed as antagonistic.
Concessions by Paul, Weiss
Paul, Weiss pledged to abandon diversity policies and to provide free legal representation equivalent to $40 million for clients with a “full spectrum of political viewpoints” to include the president’s antisemitism taskforce, “fairness in the justice system” and “other mutually agreed projects,” according to the post.
Positive Response from Paul, Weiss
Paul, Weiss had no immediate comment but the White House included a statement from the firm’s chairman, Brad Karp, in the announcement.
Immediate Threat Removed
The agreement removes the immediate threat to Paul, Weiss from an order that would have sharply limited its ability to interact with government agencies and its access to government contracts — actions that a federal judge said in a similar case involving another firm appear to violate the Constitution.
Reasons behind the Executive Order
Trump issued the executive order to punish Paul, Weiss for its past association with Mark Pomerantz, a former partner who investigated Trump’s finances and payments to porn star Stormy Daniels for the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.
Impact of the Deal
Trump’s order targeting Paul, Weiss was the third in a series against major firms that in his eyes had employed or in some way assisted his adversaries.
