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6d ago

Federal Judge Blocks DOJ’s Retaliatory Termination of ABA Grants

The court ruled that the Justice Department’s cancellation of $3.2 million in grants violated the First Amendment by punishing the ABA for its criticism of the Trump administration.

The building with the offices of the American Bar Association (ABA) is seen in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 12, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo
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Overview

  • U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper issued a preliminary injunction requiring the DOJ to reinstate $3.2 million in grants to the American Bar Association (ABA).
  • The judge found that the DOJ terminated the grants in retaliation for the ABA’s public criticism of the Trump administration and its involvement in a lawsuit against the government.
  • The grants, which have funded domestic and sexual violence lawyer training since 1995, were canceled a day after the DOJ barred its attorneys from ABA events.
  • Judge Cooper concluded that the DOJ’s justification for the cancellations was pretextual, as similar grants to other organizations were not terminated.
  • The ruling highlights judicial checks on executive power and the protection of free speech under the First Amendment as the case continues to unfold.