Democrats Probe Law Firms' Pro-Bono Work For Trump Administration

House and Senate Democrats, including Rep. Jamie Raskin and Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Adam Schiff, have pressed prominent law firms Paul Weiss, Kirkland & Ellis, and Skadden Arps for details on the free legal services they are reportedly providing to President Trump's Commerce Department. These demands follow reports that these firms, after agreeing to provide pro bono services to Trump to avoid his business attacks, are assisting the Commerce Department on various matters, potentially violating the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits the government from accepting voluntary services without congressional appropriation. Democrats emphasize that such arrangements raise legal and ethical concerns, particularly regarding the firms' ability to represent clients adverse to the administration while also working for it free of charge. The lawmakers seek information about the scope, duration, and compensation of the services, signaling preparations for future congressional investigations into the Trump administration's conduct. These inquiries come amid broader scrutiny of nearly $1 billion in pledged free legal work by nine firms cooperating with the White House amid executive order crackdowns. The law firms have yet to publicly respond to these inquiries.