March 6 (UPI) — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to suspend security clearances for Perkins Coie lawyers, as he continues to retaliate against law firms connected to his political opponents.
Perkins Coie has been a target of Trump’s criticism going back to his first campaign ahead of the 2016 election as it connects to the compilation of a political opposition research report about him.
The executive order directs the heads of the Justice Department, National Intelligence and other relevant agencies to take steps to suspend active security clearances held by employees of Perkins Coie.
It also seeks to end all federal government contracts, if there are any, with the Seattle-based law firm.
“This is an absolute honor to sign,” Trump said in the Oval Office before reporters moments before signing the document with a sharpie. “What they’ve done is terrible. It’s a weaponization, you can say weaponization against a political opponent and it should never be allowed to happen again.”
The executive order describes Perkins Coie of having conducted “dishonest and dangerous activity,” specifically highlighting its work for the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Perkins Coie had hired Fusion GPS to created what has since become known as the Steele Dossier, which alleged connections between Trump and Russians.
UPI has contacted Perkins Coie for comment.
The executive order also accuses the law firm of racial discrimination through diversity, equity and inclusive programs, which the Trump administration has viciously attacked.
The order also directs the chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the attorney general to review other large law firms to see if they are employing similar DEI programs.
Trump asked White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf if they were currently looking at 15 firms under this order.
“That or more, sir, yes,” Scharf replied.
The targeting of Perkins Coie is the latest retaliatory attack against a law firm connected to a perceived political opponent.
Late last month, Trump signed an executive order to strip the security clearances held by lawyers at Covington & Burling over its connections to Jack Smith, the former special counsel who twice indicted the president during the four-year interim he was again a civilian.