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Jeffrey Clark, former acting assistant attorney general, testifies during a hearing in the U.S. Capitol on June 13, 2023 in Washington, D.C.
A Washington, D.C. disciplinary board concluded that "considering all of the facts proven," Jeffrey Clark "should be disbarred because he attempted to engage in flagrant dishonesty."
Attorney Jeffrey Clark, a former Department of Justice official who engaged in a plot to keep U.S. President Donald Trump illegally in power more than five years ago, may not be an attorney much longer.
Politico reported on Thursday that the District of Columbia Court of Appeals Board on Professional Responsibility has recommended that Clark be disbarred for his role in the effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
In its report, the panel cited Clark's actions in December 2020 and January 2021 in which he drafted a letter to be signed by top DOJ officials falsely stating that the department had "identified significant concerns that may have impacted the outcome of the election in multiple states, including the State of Georgia."
After top DOJ officials at the time informed Clark that they had not found any significant evidence of fraud that would have affected the outcome of the 2020 election, he lobbied Trump to fire them and put him in charge as acting attorney general. Trump considered this plan but then backed off of it when he was told that it would lead to mass resignations at the DOJ and the White House Counsel.
Regardless, wrote the panel, Clark continued to press Trump to pull the trigger and told him, "History is calling, we can do this, we can get it done, just put me in charge, I'll get it done."
The panel finished its report by writing that "considering all of the facts proven... we conclude that [Clark] should be disbarred because he attempted to engage in flagrant dishonesty."
The board's recommendation is not the final say in Clark's disbarment; his case now moves to the D.C. Court of Appeals, which will make the ultimate decision. However, Clark is for now temporarily suspended from practicing law unless he can convince the court to intervene.
Politico noted that Clark remained defiant in the wake of the ruling and said "the fight continues" in a post on social media platform X.
Regardless, New York University Law professor Ryan Goodman argued that Clark being disbarred could send a strong signal to future Trump lawyers who may be tempted to help him carry out illegal schemes.
"Big picture: Significant implications for U.S. government attorneys who risk their bar licenses by engaging in clearly illegal and unethical conduct," he wrote.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Attorney Jeffrey Clark, a former Department of Justice official who engaged in a plot to keep U.S. President Donald Trump illegally in power more than five years ago, may not be an attorney much longer.
Politico reported on Thursday that the District of Columbia Court of Appeals Board on Professional Responsibility has recommended that Clark be disbarred for his role in the effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
In its report, the panel cited Clark's actions in December 2020 and January 2021 in which he drafted a letter to be signed by top DOJ officials falsely stating that the department had "identified significant concerns that may have impacted the outcome of the election in multiple states, including the State of Georgia."
After top DOJ officials at the time informed Clark that they had not found any significant evidence of fraud that would have affected the outcome of the 2020 election, he lobbied Trump to fire them and put him in charge as acting attorney general. Trump considered this plan but then backed off of it when he was told that it would lead to mass resignations at the DOJ and the White House Counsel.
Regardless, wrote the panel, Clark continued to press Trump to pull the trigger and told him, "History is calling, we can do this, we can get it done, just put me in charge, I'll get it done."
The panel finished its report by writing that "considering all of the facts proven... we conclude that [Clark] should be disbarred because he attempted to engage in flagrant dishonesty."
The board's recommendation is not the final say in Clark's disbarment; his case now moves to the D.C. Court of Appeals, which will make the ultimate decision. However, Clark is for now temporarily suspended from practicing law unless he can convince the court to intervene.
Politico noted that Clark remained defiant in the wake of the ruling and said "the fight continues" in a post on social media platform X.
Regardless, New York University Law professor Ryan Goodman argued that Clark being disbarred could send a strong signal to future Trump lawyers who may be tempted to help him carry out illegal schemes.
"Big picture: Significant implications for U.S. government attorneys who risk their bar licenses by engaging in clearly illegal and unethical conduct," he wrote.
Attorney Jeffrey Clark, a former Department of Justice official who engaged in a plot to keep U.S. President Donald Trump illegally in power more than five years ago, may not be an attorney much longer.
Politico reported on Thursday that the District of Columbia Court of Appeals Board on Professional Responsibility has recommended that Clark be disbarred for his role in the effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
In its report, the panel cited Clark's actions in December 2020 and January 2021 in which he drafted a letter to be signed by top DOJ officials falsely stating that the department had "identified significant concerns that may have impacted the outcome of the election in multiple states, including the State of Georgia."
After top DOJ officials at the time informed Clark that they had not found any significant evidence of fraud that would have affected the outcome of the 2020 election, he lobbied Trump to fire them and put him in charge as acting attorney general. Trump considered this plan but then backed off of it when he was told that it would lead to mass resignations at the DOJ and the White House Counsel.
Regardless, wrote the panel, Clark continued to press Trump to pull the trigger and told him, "History is calling, we can do this, we can get it done, just put me in charge, I'll get it done."
The panel finished its report by writing that "considering all of the facts proven... we conclude that [Clark] should be disbarred because he attempted to engage in flagrant dishonesty."
The board's recommendation is not the final say in Clark's disbarment; his case now moves to the D.C. Court of Appeals, which will make the ultimate decision. However, Clark is for now temporarily suspended from practicing law unless he can convince the court to intervene.
Politico noted that Clark remained defiant in the wake of the ruling and said "the fight continues" in a post on social media platform X.
Regardless, New York University Law professor Ryan Goodman argued that Clark being disbarred could send a strong signal to future Trump lawyers who may be tempted to help him carry out illegal schemes.
"Big picture: Significant implications for U.S. government attorneys who risk their bar licenses by engaging in clearly illegal and unethical conduct," he wrote.