DOJ lawyers who are "chumps for Trump"
15 July 2025
I have begun compiling a list of lawyers at the U.S. Department of Justice who could fairly be called “chumps for Trump”, that is, lawyers who appear to have set aside their professional ethics to please Trump, and who may warrant formal grievance complaints. I do not advocate any illegal action against them.
Click here to see an updated list of Trump associated lawyers who have already been disciplined or are currently facing disciplinary proceedings.
Lawyers are bound by professional standards. When clients, or even the President of the United States, demand actions that violate those standards, the ethical course is to refuse or to resign, as many principled federal lawyers have done.
Some 250 attorneys — or around 70% of the division's lawyers — have left or will have left the department [of Civil Rights] in the time between President Trump's inauguration and the end of May, according to current and former officials. NPR
Of the 110 lawyers at the [DOJ’s] Federal Programs Branch, 69 have either already quit or announced that they’re quitting since Trump won in November, according to Reuters.
ICE attorney resigns. Newsweek.
Given that the President and Attorney General seem both incompetent and eager to break the law, it is my view that every DOJ lawyer needs a compelling reason to remain in their position rather than leave.
I will continue updating this list, so please reach out with the names of any DOJ attorneys who should be considered for inclusion based on public information. Helping to identify lawyers who are betraying their professional duties serves the larger cause of justice.
Pam Bondi, Attorney General. An ethics complaint was filed against her in Florida on 5 June 2025 for “Department lawyers being terminated or forced to resign as a result of demands that they act unethically issued by Ms. Bondi or a member of her senior management, including Emil Bove, initially the Acting Deputy Attorney General (the No. 2 position in the Department) and now the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General (the No. 3 position); Todd Blanche, the current Deputy Attorney General; and Edward Martin, then Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and now chief of the Justice Department’s “Weaponization Working Group” and the Department’s pardon attorney.
Todd Blanche, Deputy Attorney General. Punished lawyers who chose to follow professional standards even though Trump wanted otherwise, no ethics complaint filed to my knowledge.
Emil Bove, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General. Ethics complaint filed in New York on 21 February 25.
Edward Martin, the DOJ’s pardon attorney. Ethics complaint filed in D.C. on 7 May 2025.
D. John Sauer, Solicitor General. Accused of deliberately misleading the U.S. Supreme Court, no ethics complaint filed to my knowledge.
Bridget O'Hickey, Justice Department attorney. Accused by Judge of making meritless arguments, no ethics complaint filed to my knowledge.
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It seems like the list would grow exponentially if the firms and individual lawyers who have violated ethics on his behalf were included. If the ABA holds the power to disbar, how and where are disbarment proceedings initiated? If one is disbarred, can one still be considered a lawyer and/or practice law at some level?