Trump ally Clark asks US court to block disciplinary charges against him According to Reuters
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO – Acting Assistant US Attorney General Jeffrey Clark speaks next to US Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen at a news conference where they announced that Purdue Pharma LP has agreed to plead guilty to the charges criminal handling of o
By Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Former Justice Department attorney Jeffrey Bossert Clark on Monday asked a federal court to intervene in a pending legal disciplinary case against him for his efforts to help former President Donald Trump overturn. defeated in the 2020 election.
In his case in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Clark argued that the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and DC Bar local agencies are responsible for filing and adjudicating disciplinary proceedings against attorneys. has no authority to bring moral charges. against him.
Clark, who previously led the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and temporarily led the Civil Division, argued that “no state has the authority to oversee the activities and considerations of internal affairs.” department of any branch of the federal government.”
The ethics lawsuit against him, the suit said, represents a “direct attack on the fundamental principle of separation of powers.”
Hamilton “Phil” Fox, the head of the ethics office, declined to immediately comment on the lawsuit, but said he doesn’t believe any disciplinary cases by the DC Bar have ever been brought. to federal court.
The lawsuit from Clark is his latest move to combat ethics allegations stemming from his efforts while at the Justice Department to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
Earlier this year, the DC Office of Discipline Counsel, a division of the DC Bar, filed ethics charges against him for allegedly attempting to “perform acts involving dishonesty.” ” and attempt to take actions that “would seriously impede the administration of justice.”
The allegation centers on Clark’s efforts to pressure then-Acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen and his deputy, Richard Donoghue, to launch investigations in Georgia based on bogus claims of Trump about voter fraud there.
Clark pressured Rosen and Donoghue to send Georgia a letter falsely claiming that the Justice Department had discovered voting irregularities there.
When they refused, he sought to get Trump to depose Rosen so he could be appointed Acting Attorney General. However, Trump ultimately refused to do so.
Both Rosen and Donoghue are expected to be called as witnesses at Clark’s public disciplinary hearing in January.
The DC Bar is still gathering evidence against Clark and earlier this month subpoenaed additional documents, including “any documents that support the thesis that you are Acting Attorney General on March 3rd.” 1 year 2021.”
In a statement, one of Clark’s attorneys said the ethics lawsuit against Clark represents a “flagrant abuse” of disciplinary function and sets a “dangerous precedent”.
