11,000 Lawyers Sign Letter In Opposition To Stephen Bannon’s Appointment

Lawyers against Bannon.

(Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images for SiriusXM) Stephen K. Bannon

(Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images for SiriusXM) Stephen K. Bannon

Lawyers around the country and banding together to oppose the appointment of Stephen Bannon as Donald Trump’s Chief Strategist. There is a letter circulating that currently has 11,000 signatures and counting voicing their deep concern over the appointment.

The letter was co-authored by Nancy Leong, associate professor at University of Denver Law School, and frames the opposition to Bannon as non-partisan but woven into the fundamental duties of attorneys:

As attorneys, we swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. We committed to protect the institutions upon which our democracy depends. We committed to provide zealous representation for all our clients, regardless of their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic.

Mr. Bannon has demonstrated his opposition to the stable, democratic form of government that our profession embraces and strives to maintain. His words could not be more clear: “Lenin wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal, too . . . I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment.” This contempt for our longstanding governmental institutions has no place in a crucial leadership position.

The letter also recognizes Bannon’s legal right to say the awful things he says. But just because it is legal doesn’t mean it should be in the White House:

Of course we do not dispute that Mr. Bannon has the right to voice his opinions. Indeed, some of us have devoted our careers to safeguarding a robust First Amendment that protects individuals, the media, and other organizations. But these extreme and hateful views do not belong in the White House.

This is not a partisan issue. The white supremacy and political insurgency that Mr. Bannon has embraced and amplified contradicts everything we stand for as attorneys and as Americans.

It takes work and stamina to not fall into the trap of normalizing the Donald Trump regime. Let’s see if they have another letter in them to oppose Jeff Sessions as Attorney General.

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If you’re interested, you can add your name to the letter HERE.

9,000 Attorneys Oppose Bannon in Letter to Congress [Big Law Business]


Kathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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