Article

2025-03-01 Home Front: Politix

Trump axes security clearances for law firm attorneys who aided special counsel Jack Smith

From a few days ago.

[NYPost] President Trump on Tuesday revoked any security clearances held by Covington & Burling law firm employees who provided pro bono services to former special counsel Jack Smith, who prosecuted Trump in a pair of since-ended criminal cases.

"This is a good one. Is everybody listening? Deranged Jack Smith — we’re going to call it the deranged Jack Smith signing or bill," Trump said in the Oval Office.

"The weaponization of our system by law firms, even pro bono work they’re doing just in order to clog up government, stop government, and nobody knows about it more than me, and hopefully that’ll never happen again."

Covington & Burling spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Smith received $140,000 in free legal services from the firm, according to a Jan. 10 disclosure by his office.

Politico reported that at least two attorneys at the firm, Peter Koski and Lanny Breuer, have represented Smith.

The memorandum signed by Trump yanks the clearances of "Koski and all members, partners, and employees of Covington & Burling LLP who assisted former Special Counsel Jack Smith during his time as Special Counsel, pending a review and determination of their roles and responsibilities."

Smith won a pair of federal criminal indictments against Trump in 2023 as he sought a second term in the White House, but the cases didn’t make it to trial before the Republican retook power, curtailing the prosecutions.

A case accusing Trump of mishandling national security records carried up to 400 years in prison. The second set of charges, related to Trump challenging the 2020 election results, could have sent the president to prison for 55 years.

Trump argued that the cases amounted to political targeting and his Justice Department appointees last month fired more than a dozen attorneys who participated in the investigations.

"We recently agreed to represent Jack Smith when it became apparent that he would become a subject of a government investigation," a firm rep told The Post. "Covington serves as defense counsel to Jack Smith in his personal, individual capacity. We look forward to defending Mr. Smith’s interests and appreciate the trust he has placed in us to do so."

The Populist Times adds:

According to Trump, the action was in line with his Executive Order 14147 of January 20, 2025, titled “Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government.”

The revocation follows a similar action targeting 51 intel chiefs who signed a letter downplaying Hunter Biden’s laptop story as possibly a Russian disinformation campaign. Trump also withdrew the security clearances for the former head of Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, who briefed China during the January 6 Capitol protests.

Trump directed all relevant heads of executive departments and agencies to suspend the security clearances for all individuals involved with the firm, pending the determination of their role, if any, in the weaponization of the Department of Justice. All heads of federal agencies should terminate all engagements with Covington & Burling LLP to the maximum extent permitted by the law and review existing contracts the agencies have with the law firm.

Covington has deep ties with Washington D.C. and the two attorneys representing Smith, Covinton’s Vice Chair and former head of the Justice Department’s criminal division Lanny Breuer and Peter Koski, have more than a decade-long working relationship. In 2010 under Obama, Breuer hired Smith to lead the public integrity section, in which Koski has also worked as a prosecutor.

Meanwhile, the suspension of Covington’s security clearances follows a recent announcement of the “weaponization working group” by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Smith and his team. Although Smith enjoys a preemptive pardon as part of the House Jan. 6 Committee, other prosecutors were not extended the same privilege.

Posted by trailing wife 2025-03-01 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11141 views ] Top

#1 I get the feeling that Pro Bono might mean “paid by USAID funds” in many cases,

Posted by Super Hose 2025-03-01 08:05|| 2025-03-01 08:05|| Front Page Top

#2 ^ I would be incredibly unsurprised to learn this.

"But don't worry. It has all been laundered thru multiple layers. As long as Elon's database nerds don't start following the trail, we should be good."

Posted by SteveS 2025-03-01 09:42|| 2025-03-01 09:42|| Front Page Top

#3 paid by USAID funds

USAID could not have been the only group used to disburse federal funds to preferred clients. Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, the intelligence community, and DOD probably also supported all sorts of odd little projects.

Posted by trailing wife 2025-03-01 10:43|| 2025-03-01 10:43|| Front Page Top

#4 For many agencies, there was plenty disbursed that looked like support for gender studies in Ecuador that supported clandestine ops or other purposes. None of it should have ended up funding hits in domestic politics. Our track record for destabilizing foriegn countries is dubious at best, but the US government has no legitimate role in meddling in domestic politics. Track all the funds. Jail all the perps. Hold special elections to replace the jailed elected officials.

Posted by Super Hose 2025-03-01 12:05|| 2025-03-01 12:05|| Front Page Top

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