I have given money to @ProjectLincoln, and supported their work, but this strikes me as a terrible idea. https://twitter.com/theplumlinegs/status/1326189802367184897

It's a bad idea for two reasons, I think.

1) Going after lawyers for representing unpopular clients in unpopular legal claims has a really bad history, and tends to not go well. Our legal system needs lawyers to take on unpopular clients. Focus on the clients, not the lawyers.

I'm reminded of when conservatives went after the law firms representing terrorist suspects at Gitmo. (I was one of the conservatives who signed a counter-letter, organized by @benjaminwittes objecting to going after the lawyers.)
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20100308_guantanamo_statement.pdf

2) Second, why go after Jones Day specifically, and not another law firm involved in the suits? Jones Day has 2,500 lawyers in 43 countries. I would guess that most employees at Jones Day despise Trump.

I would guess Jones Day is the target *because* of that, not despite that. Because the firm is deeply divided on Trump, an outside pressure campaign is more likely to get them to drop the client.

That doesn't mean that lawyers can never be subject to criticism, of course. But this sounds like an effort to get a law firm to drop a client, or to deter others from taking up that client, in order to make things more difficult for the client. That's a really dangerous path.

For those reasons, I think this is a terrible idea. /end

Some are arguing that it's okay to have a media campaign when the firm is bringing a suit, not defending it. I don't see why that should matter. Sometimes you defend your rights in defensive litigation, and sometimes you defend your rights by bringing suit.

Take an unpopular client who has been arrested, perhaps without cause. If the govt brings charges, the lawyer could file a motion to suppress (defensive). If no charges are filed, the lawyer could file a civil rights claim under 1983 (offensive).

I'm not sure why whether a media campaign against the law firm is problematic should depend on which side of the "v" the law firm represents in filing effectively identical claims.

To my followers surprised that I would make such a stupid argument, at least I told you this was coming.

Also appreciate how the replies divide nicely between those who think I’m a fool for previously donating to the Lincoln Project and those who think I’m a fool for criticizing them now. Glad to provide something for everyone!