Dem
47
GOP
53
They are dropping like flies, as one giant law firm after another capitulates to Donald Trump's bullying. One would think that when a huge law firm with hundreds of top-flight lawyers is threatened, its first reaction would be to sue. Nope. When Donald Trump does the threatening, unconditional surrender is the plan of action.
On Friday, the two biggest law firms in the country by some metrics, Kirkland & Ellis and Latham & Watkins, conceded defeat without firing a shot. Trump simply wrote out XOs banning them from public buildings (such as courthouses), something he has no authority to do, and they responded: "Yes, Mr. President. Of course. How much is this going to cost us?" These two and three smaller firms, A&O Shearman, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, agreed to provide a total of $600 million in free work for causes he supports. The price keeps going up. Trump has now gotten promises of $940 million worth of free legal work since he was inaugurated. Of course, one has to wonder who will actually do the work and what the quality will be, but that is for later. Trump doesn't actually care if they follow through. What he wants is for them to grovel in the dirt at his feet now, and in public.
However, in four of the cases (all except Cadwalader), the quid pro quo was explicit. As part of the deal, the government would drop investigations into their DEI practices. They will also not deny legal services to "politically disenfranchised" groups, undoubtedly conservative groups.
One wonders if Trump will stop with extorting law firms. Why not demand that Boeing provide free aircraft, Microsoft provide free software, JP Morgan Chase provide free money, and McDonalds provide unlimited free Big Macs to all conservative groups requesting them? (V)