'Criminal contempt': Lawyer fighting Trump’s orders warns of 'strong pushback' from US institutions
U.S. President Donald Trump attends an event to sign an executive order banning transgender girls and women from participating in women's sports, in the East Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 5, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis
Former ethics czar and impeachment lawyer Norm Eisen is working with a group of attorneys fighting back against President Donald Trump over they're calling his unlawful actions.
Speaking to MSNBC on Monday, Eisen said that they have been successful in court so far — and they believe they will continue to be.
"The very first case, locking Mr. [Elon] Musk out of the Treasury Department. He has no right to look at that data," he said, referring to a challenge which saw a judge at the weekend temporarily cut Musk's access to the nation's financial records.
"Tying the hands of the president, the attorney general and others who want to dox reveal the identity of 6,000 FBI agents. They don't have any legal right to do that under the Privacy Act and otherwise," he went on, referencing plans to name agents who worked on January 6 cases.
He also pointed out that on Monday morning, they're in court fighting Trump's effort to end birthright citizenship, which Eisen said is "rewriting the Constitution." The legal team also filed a brief on behalf of "almost two dozen conservatives" fighting back against the purge of federal staffers who work for congressionally established and funded agencies.
"This offer to force federal employees out without the permission of Congress is illegal. And that case will be heard today. We've been involved in many of these cases, and they're going to lose," Eisen said.
The host asked whether he believed the courts would agree.
"I do. I think that the courts will start with civil contempt. They'll move to criminal contempt. They have broader sanctions. They're going to rule against the administration," promised Eisen. "In that case, I think the Supreme Court will back them up."
The host also wondered if there was any way to enforce the court rulings if Trump decided to ignore them, asking whether the U.S. Marshals would get involved.
"I think American democracy is strong enough to meet this test," he added. "We are at a crossroads. That's why we've been involved in dozens of cases, with dozens more coming in the weeks and months ahead. But I believe in the strength of American democracy. If Donald Trump and Elon Musk and J.D. Vance test the will of the American people or the American courts, I think they're going to get a very strong pushback."
