Legal/Law/Criminal Justice and Reform

Trump Strips Security Clearances From Members Of Law Firm Who Worked With Jack Smith

former Special Counsel Jack Smith (Screen Capture/CSPAN)

President Donald Trump issued an order Tuesday stripping security clearances from members of a law firm who worked with former special counsel Jack Smith.

The order instructs Attorney General Pam Bondi and other agency heads to suspend any clearances held by attorney Peter Koski, who represented Smith, along with other members of Covington & Burling LLP who helped him while he was special counsel.

Trump directed agencies to review contracts with the firm and terminate engagement “to the maximum extent permitted by law.”

Smith disclosed a gift of $140,000 in pro bono legal services from Covington & Burling before he resigned in January, Politico reported, citing the special counsel’s financial disclosure form.

The firm, which employs many former members of the Biden and Obama administrations, provided legal counsel to former President Joe Biden during his 2020 campaign.

“For more than 100 years, Covington has represented clients facing government investigations, consistent with the best traditions of the legal profession,” a firm spokesman said in a statement, according to the New York Times. “We recently agreed to represent Jack Smith when it became apparent that he would become a subject of a government investigation. Covington serves as defense counsel to Jack Smith in his personal, individual capacity.”

On day one as attorney general, Bondi announced the formation of a Weaponization Working Group to investigate Smith’s efforts to target Trump, along with unethical prosecutions in Jan. 6 cases and other potential examples of weaponization.

Covington & Burling and Peter Koski did not immediately respond to a request for comment.