'Absurd': White House blasts law firm that helped fuel Russia hoax after challenging Trump order

Perkins Coie, the firm that hired the company responsible for composing the so-called "Steele dossier" released in 2017 about Trump's alleged connections to Russia that was used to obtain a surveillance warrant against former Trump campaign advisor Carter Page, filed a motion in a federal court in Washington Tuesday requesting a temporary restraining order to block the Trump administration from rescinding its access to federal resources. 

U.S. Judge Beryl Howell approved the request Wednesday afternoon. 

"The Trump Administration is working efficiently to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government," White House spokesman Harrison Fields said in a Wednesday evening statement to Fox News Digital. "It is absurd that a billion-dollar law firm is suing to retain its access to government perks and handouts."

Attorney Dane Butswinkas, who is representing Perkins Coie, said roughly a quarter of the firm's revenue stems from clients with government contracts, and compared Trump's order to "a tsunami waiting to hit the firm." 

Additionally, Howell said Wednesday that the order "sends little chills down my spine." 

Trump signed an executive order March 6 suspending security clearances for Perkins Coie employees until a further review evaluating its access to sensitive information is complete to determine if it aligns with national interests.

The order also pulled access to sensitive information facilities for Perkins Coie employees and limits the company's access to government employees. The order also prevents the federal government from hiring Perkins Coie employees without specific authorization.

As a result, Perkins Coie's lawsuit claims that the Trump administration's executive order is an "affront to the Constitution and our adversarial system of justice" and that the order means the firm's ability to represent its clients is "under direct and imminent threat." 

Likewise, the lawsuit asserts the order violated procedural due process because it failed to give Perkins Coie the opportunity to contest accusations included in the executive order. 

"The order violates core constitutional protections, including the rights to free speech and due process, and undermines all clients' right to select counsel of their choice," a Perkins Coie spokesperson said in a Tuesday statement. "We were compelled to take this step to protect our firm and safeguard the interests of our clients."

Attorneys general from states including California, Arizona, Massachusetts and Rhode Island filed an amicus brief Wednesday voicing support for Perkins Coie "to underscore the bedrock rule of law principles and free speech imperatives at issue in this case."

"Through official action, the President has attempted to exclude certain lawyers and certain viewpoints from reaching a court of law at all," the coalition of attorneys general wrote in the brief. "It is a menacing message to attorneys nationwide: unless they advance positions or represent clients favorable to the current administration, their livelihood may be at risk and their patriotism will be called into question."

Marc Elias, the former chair of the firm's political law practice, hired opposition research firm Fusion GPS to conduct opposition research into presidential candidate Trump in April 2016 on behalf of Trump's opponent, Clinton, and the Democratic National Committee.

Fusion GPS then hired former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, who authored the so-called "Steele dossier." The document, which BuzzFeed News published in 2017, included shocking and mostly unverified allegations, including details that Trump engaged in sex acts with Russian prostitutes. 

Trump, who repeatedly denied the allegations included in the dossier, filed a lawsuit in September 2023 against Orbis Business Intelligence, a company Steele co-founded, claiming that the dossier led to personal and reputational damage. A judge tossed the case in February 2024. 

Meanwhile, Trump said Thursday it was an "honor" to sign the executive order. 

"What they've done, it's just terrible," Trump said. "It's weaponization. You could say weaponization against a political opponent, and it should never be allowed to happen again."

Fox News' Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.