Protecting the Legal Community

Floor Speech

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Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, the legal community has a longstanding tradition of representing historically underrepresented communities in important constitutional and historic landmark cases. Right now, the President and his cronies are shaking down the legal world in an unprecedented manner. These law firms have provided services to our underrepresented communities in a pro bono manner for decades.

In the past few weeks, the President has targeted law firms that he has deemed a threat against his goals to impose an illegal agenda. Through his executive orders, he has threatened the revocation of government security clearances and prohibitions on entering Federal buildings to these law firms.

Two of the law firms--Skadden; and Paul, Weiss--immediately settled to avoid sanctions and committed a collective $140 million in pro bono work to support the Trump administration's agenda.

Other targeted law firms--WilmerHale; Jenner & Block; and Perkins Coie--continue to challenge these orders in court. These law firms have been responsible for providing free pro bono work in support of disenfranchised communities for decades.

Mr. Speaker, Trump is doing this to stop them from successfully arguing against his executive orders and the harms and effects they may have on America.

In addition, many of our colleagues across the aisle have introduced at least seven bills to impeach Federal judges who have ruled against the Trump agenda.

They attempt to cripple our judicial branch of government which guaranties a delicate balance in our democracy and in our Republic. Many of these judges have been instrumental in pausing Trump's attack on birthright citizenship, and preventing ICE from going into sensitive locations such as churches, synagogues, funeral homes, schools, and emergency rooms.

This is what they are trying to do. They are trying to impose this very aggressive agenda against protections from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and, of course, they are attempting to dismantle the one system that has given us all the ability to rise together, the public education system.

House Republicans are carrying out Trump's attack by insisting that we take up legislation that would severely limit the judicial system's ability to issue rulings that have a nationwide, positive effect on communities.

Mr. Speaker, there has been a longstanding tradition of unrepresented communities resorting to the judicial system when all else has failed. When all else has failed, communities go to the court to get relief. When it has been extremely hard to fight against larger, richer, and more powerful entities and to hold them accountable, communities go to the courts.

Rulings like Brown v. Board of Education, Obergefell v. Hodges, and Roe v. Wade have been instrumental in ensuring that all communities have equality and protection under the law.

Mr. Speaker, these are dangerous times. The chapters of history have told us time and time again that when fascism sticks its ugly head out the window, it is the courts that they go after so that it will prevent common folks from entering that institution and getting relief and justice.

We must fight to stop the administration's attack. To not do so would mean to damage the balance of power and to permanently fracture our democracy.

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