WASHINGTON – In an escalation of the Trump administration’s attacks on courts, the Justice Department on Friday asked for the judge who ruled against it over an executive order targeting law firm Perkins Coie to be disqualified, questioning her impartiality.
“In this case, reasonable observers may well view this Court as insufficiently impartial to adjudicate the meritless challenges to President Trump’s efforts to implement the agenda that the American people elected him to carry out,” according to the Justice Department’s motion.
On March 12, D.C. federal district Judge Beryl Howell put a temporary halt on several restrictions from Trump’s March 6 executive order targeting the law firm, which represented Hillary Clinton during her failed presidential bid in 2016. The order directed federal agencies to terminate contracts with Perkins Coie and halt security clearances for its employees.
“I am sure many in the legal profession are watching in horror about what Perkins Coie is going through here,” Howell said at a March 12 hearing in the case.
The Friday motion argued that Howell has repeatedly shown animus toward Trump.
“Examples include this Court enabling the improper efforts of disgraced former prosecutor Jack Smith,” the DOJ motion argued. Smith led two prosecutions against Trump, but dropped the charges after Trump won the 2024 election.
The motion escalates a growing attack by Trump and his allies, including leading Republicans, on judges, who have has questioned the lawfulness of Trump executive actions in several cases.
Hours after Trump called for a judge who ruled against him to be impeached in a Tuesday Truth Social post, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare rebuke.
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose,” Roberts said.
Judge Beryl A. Howell listens during the investiture ceremony for U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden April 13, 2018 at the U.S. District Court in Washington, DC.
Trump declined to back down from his impeachment call in an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham later on Tuesday.
“We have very bad judges, and these are judges that shouldn’t be allowed,” Trump said. “I think at a certain point you have to start looking at what do you do when you have a rogue judge.”
Trump continued to assail judges handling several of his administration’s cases in a Thursday Truth Social post.
“If Justice Roberts and the United States Supreme Court do not fix this toxic and unprecedented situation IMMEDIATELY, our Country is in very serious trouble!” he said.
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DOJ wants judge in law firm case booted, escalating attack on courts
