We’re convinced there is some sort of secret pool started by Democrats and their left-wing ‘legal groups’ to see which Democrat-appointed federal judge can outdo the others with insane rulings against President Donald Trump’s tidal wave of executive actions. But we may have a winner — for this week, at least. That would be one of the Trump administration’s old nemeses, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, an Obama appointee and a judge-shopping favorite of the extreme left.
For decades, ever since there has been such a thing as a “security clearance,” presidents have been able to pull them at their whim and for whatever national security reason they choose. But that apparently isn’t the case any longer because…well, because it’s Trump in the White House. On Friday night, Howell ruled that the President of the United States does not have the authority to revoke government security clearances from Perkins Coie, the private law firm known for its ties to Democrats and its role in advancing the Trump-Russia collusion hoax.
In her opinion, Howell even cited Shakespeare, adding a theatrical touch to a decision that some critics say reflects the increasingly performative nature of parts of the federal judiciary. “No American President has ever before issued executive orders like the one at issue in this lawsuit targeting a prominent law firm with adverse actions to be executed by all Executive branch agencies but, in purpose and effect, this action draws from a playbook as old as Shakespeare, who penned the phrase: ‘The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers,’” she wrote in her 102-page order.
JUST IN: Judge HOWELL rules forcefully in favor of Perkins Coie against Trump’s punitive executive order, comparing him to a Shakespearean character who famously called to “kill all the lawyers” in order to amass power.https://t.co/oj4sysrkNd pic.twitter.com/WwhwQUelz3
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) May 2, 2025
Howell contends that the Trump administration violated the First, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments, arguing that the executive order in question amounted to unlawful coercion. In a move critics have called politically charged, she also criticized law firms that agreed to maintain their security clearances by cooperating with the administration, suggesting their actions undermined legal independence.
To many observers, the situation will likely appear absurd—regardless of the legal technicalities involved. Authority over security clearances is firmly rooted in the executive branch, and if the president determines that a law firm which actively worked against him on behalf of Hillary Clinton should not retain access to classified information within his administration, it stands to reason that he should have the power to enforce that decision.
As for Howell herself, she’s nothing but a Democratic operative disguised as a judge, a left-wing hack who feels her primary responsibility is to bend the law or the Constitution or simply create a reason out of thin air so long as it harms Trump. Howell served as the supervising judge for the Robert Mueller investigation, which she allowed to continue for years despite the absence of a clear predicate or conclusive evidence. She also compelled one of President Trump’s attorneys to testify, overriding claims of attorney-client privilege. In addition, Howell issued a ruling granting House Democrats access to a broad set of materials from the Mueller “Russia collusion” probe. And notably, she has also played a role in the prosecutions related to January 6th.
There are numerous other examples that observers can interpret as they see fit, but Judge Howell’s political leanings appear clear. She has consistently aligned with progressive positions and has shown little hesitation in doing so publicly—including reportedly referring to President Trump as a “sore loser” in court. Given her role in advancing aspects of the Russia collusion investigation, it’s hardly surprising that she would rule the law firm most closely tied to that effort is beyond the reach of presidential authority on matters of executive discretion.
At some point, Trump will have to simply tell these rogue judges to go pound sand and ignore their insanity, and not because he’s a “dictator.” Because, as president, it is his job to defend the authority of the Executive Branch, every bit as much as these ‘secret pool’ Democrat judges claim to be defending the Judicial Branch. Enough is enough.