Press Releases
04/25/2025
Attorney General Tong Joins Coalition Supporting Susman Godfrey, Law Firm Attacked by Unconstitutional Executive Order
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney
General William Tong today joined 20 attorneys general in an amicus brief in
support of law firm Susman Godfrey, which is challenging an unconstitutional
presidential order issued as retribution against the firm for representing
clients in the aftermath of the 2020 election and defending the integrity of
that election.
The order, similar to others
targeting specific law firms for who they’ve represented, violates the firm’s
rights to free speech, due process, and other constitutional protections.
“This executive order was a
chilling attempt to bully the legal professional into silence and submission,
and yet another lawless attempt to exact political revenge on those who
defended the integrity of the 2020 election. The relationship between attorney
and client is at the heart of our system of justice, and our courts must
unequivocally end these illegal attacks,” said Attorney General Tong.
President Donald Trump has
issued four executive orders retaliating against law firms whose advocacy,
clients, and staff he dislikes. These orders require federal officials to
suspend any active security clearances held by the law firms’ workers, to refuse
to engage with or hire employees of these firms, and to deny the law firms’
personnel entry to federal buildings. The orders also direct federal
contractors to disclose any business with the law firms so that agencies can
terminate any such contracts. Four courts that have reviewed those orders found
they are likely unconstitutional.
Susman Godfrey, a law firm
with an office in Seattle, was named in one of these retaliatory executive
orders in early April. Susman obtained temporary injunctive relief earlier this
month and is now asking a judge to permanently block the executive order
against it.
When granting the temporary
injunctive relief, a federal judge said, “The executive order is based on a
personal vendetta against a particular firm. And, frankly, I think the framers
of our Constitution would view it as a shocking abuse of power."
The attorneys general note
that a fair and functioning judicial system depends on lawyers being willing to
work on controversial cases or represent unpopular clients without fearing
retribution by the government. The attorneys general say the orders will harm
their states’ residents by making it more difficult for many potential clients
— especially those who currently rely on pro bono representation — to obtain
legal services and vindicate their rights in court.
The coalition was led by the
attorneys general from Washington, Illinois, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
Joining them in filing the briefs were Arizona, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan,
Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
The brief can be found here.
More information about previous amicus briefs in support of other law firms are
here
and here.
State attorneys general also wrote a letter to support the legal community,
which can be found here.
- Twitter: @AGWilliamTong
- Facebook: CT Attorney General
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov
Consumer Inquiries:
860-808-5318
attorney.general@ct.gov