Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) Chairman Andrew Ferguson has declared an all-out warfare in opposition to the “lawyer’s wing of the Democratic Celebration”—the American Bar Affiliation (ABA).
The brand new directive prohibits any FTC political appointees from participating with or benefiting from the ABA in any capability.
“Federal Commerce Fee Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson introduced a brand new coverage that prohibits FTC political appointees from holding management roles within the American Bar Affiliation (ABA), collaborating in ABA occasions, or renewing their ABA memberships. Moreover, the FTC will now not use its sources to help any worker’s ABA membership or participation in ABA actions,” in accordance with the FTC.
This decisive motion comes within the wake of the ABA’s latest, extremely politicized critique of President Donald J. Trump’s administration, significantly its efforts to reform the corruption-riddled USAID.
The ABA’s outburst was nothing in need of a political diatribe, accusing the Trump-Vance administration of “wide-scale affronts to the rule of legislation,” whereas conveniently ignoring the nation’s crippling $36 trillion debt disaster.
The ABA’s assertion learn:
“It has been three weeks since Inauguration Day.
Most People acknowledge that newly elected leaders carry change. That’s anticipated. However most People additionally anticipate that adjustments will happen in accordance with the rule of legislation and in an orderly method that respects the lives of affected people and the work they’ve been requested to carry out.
As a substitute, we see wide-scale affronts to the rule of legislation itself, comparable to assaults on constitutionally protected birthright citizenship, the dismantling of USAID and the makes an attempt to criminalize those that help lawful packages to get rid of bias and improve range.
Now we have seen makes an attempt at wholesale dismantling of departments and entities created by Congress with out searching for the required congressional approval to vary the legislation. There are efforts to dismiss workers with little regard for the legislation and protections they advantage, and social media bulletins that disparage and seem like motivated by a want to inflame with none acknowledged factual foundation. That is chaotic. It might attraction to a couple.
However it’s incorrect. And most People acknowledge it’s incorrect.
It’s also opposite to the rule of legislation.
The American Bar Affiliation helps the rule of legislation. Meaning holding governments, together with our personal, accountable underneath legislation. We stand for a authorized course of that’s orderly and truthful.
Now we have constantly urged the administrations of each events to stick to the rule of legislation. We stand in that acquainted place once more at the moment. And we don’t stand alone. Our courts stand for the rule of legislation as nicely.”
The ABA helps the rule of legislation. Learn full message: https://t.co/ykBNNHKRqh pic.twitter.com/EXtIR2HdP1
— American Bar Affiliation (@ABAesq) February 10, 2025
Chairman Ferguson, in his letter to the employees, countered these claims with sharp criticism of the ABA’s stance, suggesting that the ABA’s assertion was much less about upholding the legislation and extra a political tirade stuffed with Democrat speaking factors.
Ferguson identified the ABA’s lengthy historical past of biased actions in opposition to Republican judicial nominees and its controversial positions on varied social points.
He additionally highlighted the ABA’s important monetary pursuits in USAID, with over $39 million in taxpayer-funded grants and contracts up to now 12 months, accusing them of a battle of curiosity when attacking Trump’s reforms.
Chairman Ferguson’s letter to employees learn:
The President of the ABA not too long ago issued an announcement accusing the Trump-Vance Administration of “wide-scale affronts to the rule of legislation.” What adopted was a breathless screed leveled in opposition to President Donald J. Trump’s swift and tireless supply on his guarantees to the American folks to confront our existential immigration disaster and finish waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal authorities. This assertion was not a sober evaluation of the legislation. It was a set of Democrat political speaking factors with the ABA’s brand affixed on the high.
[…]
The ABA’s assertion talked about nothing about this debt disaster. It as an alternative attacked President Trump’s determination to reform the USA Company for Worldwide Growth (USAID). The ABA’s deal with USAID will not be a coincidence.
The ABA has had its hand within the USAID until for a while. The ABA obtained greater than $22 million from USAID and practically $17 million from the State Division in taxpayer-funded grants and contracts within the final 12 months alone.
Shortly after releasing its assertion, the ABA joined a coalition of left-wing NGOs in suing President Trump to show the USAID spigot again on. Nothing prevents the ABA suing to gather taxpayer cash from USAID. However its failure to reveal its huge monetary curiosity in USAID whereas criticizing President Trump’s reform of that troubled company was misleading and unethical.
That deception is especially galling provided that the ABA claims it was based to advertise moral conduct amongst America’s attorneys. The ABA’s partisan advocacy on behalf of Democrats will not be new. It has been occurring for many years. Contemplate just some examples:
• A protracted, documented historical past of biased scores of Republican judicial nominees together with Justice Clarence Thomas, Decide Robert Bork, Decide Edith H. Jones, Decide Lawrence VanDyke, Decide Sarah Pitlyk, and Decide Kathryn Kimball Mizelle.
• The imposition of illegal DEI necessities on American legislation faculties as a requirement of accreditation.
• The putative “recognition” of the Equal Rights Modification as part of the U.S. Structure, a fatuous and tendentious place rejected by each court docket to have thought-about it, in addition to then-President Joe Biden’s personal Archivist of the USA.
• Constantly leftist amicus advocacy on practically each main social concern, together with affirmative motion, transgender ideology, capital punishment, and abortion.
FTC Chairman Ferguson declares new coverage relating to American Bar Affiliation: https://t.co/SzBl8Apg7P
— FTC (@FTC) February 14, 2025
Senator Mike Lee has come out in sturdy help of Ferguson’s determination, praising his braveness for distancing the FTC from the ABA’s overtly leftist agenda.
Lee criticized the Senate Judiciary Committee’s longstanding reliance on the ABA, “the lawyer’s wing of the Democratic Celebration,” for vetting judicial nominees, questioning the propriety of the ABA’s monopoly over legislation college accreditation and its evident hostility in the direction of spiritual and conservative members of the authorized neighborhood.
“Hats off to FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson for disassociating himself and the FTC from the American Bar Affiliation, aka, “the lawyer’s wing of the Democratic Celebration”
The ABA has each proper to exist as a leftist establishment
However let’s not fake it’s something apart from a leftist advocacy group—that’s precisely what it’s
I’ve by no means understood why the Senate Judiciary Committee pretends the ABA has any sort of an official position in vetting judicial nominees, given its confirmed observe document of giving biased recommendation, favoring leftists and disfavoring conservatives
It should not have any extra of an official position in vetting judicial nominees than the Federalist Society or any Republican attorneys’ affiliation
Nor have I ever understood why now we have to simply accept ABA’s monopoly over law-school accreditation
The ABA’s accreditation monopoly has contributed to the infamous lack of ideological range in American authorized academia
It’s additionally fueled an nearly palpable hostility towards spiritual attorneys, professors, college students, and legislation faculties
The ABA can do and be what it desires
However the remainder of us—significantly these of us who’re conservative and spiritual—shouldn’t play alongside, as if the ABA is a impartial, authoritative physique with out a leftist political agenda.”
Elon Musk additionally weighed in and stated, “True, ABA has turn into a far-left political group.”
True, ABA has turn into a far-left political group https://t.co/6AGqRjhPOD
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 15, 2025
