Lawyer of whistleblower in Trump impeachment case sues administration over revoked security clearance
A lawyer who represented a establishment whistleblower in a circumstance that led to President Donald Trump's first impeachment sued the Trump administration on Monday for unconstitutional retaliation after his protection clearance was revoked Lawyer Mark Zaid argued that the administration's decision to pull his clearance in March was in retaliation for representing former Department of Homeland Assurance intelligence chief Brian Murphy who was key to Trump's impeachment Murphy filed a whistleblower complaint in alleging Trump amid his re-election campaign pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate then-U S presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter's business dealings in Ukraine The U S House of Representatives voted later that year to impeach Trump for abusing the power of his office and obstructing Congress but he was later acquitted by the Senate HAKEEM JEFFRIES BLAMES TRUMP FOR NEWARK AIRPORT CHAOS ACCUSES WHITE HOUSE OF 'BREAKING THE FAA'Zaid's lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington D C alleges the decision to rescind his assurance clearance represents a dangerous unconstitutional retaliation by the President of the United States against his perceived political enemies that eschews any semblance of due process The complaint accuses the Trump administration of violating the Administrative Procedures Act the First Amendment and parts of the Fifth Amendment No American should lose their livelihood or be blocked as a lawyer from representing clients because a president carries a grudge toward them or who they represent Zaid revealed in a report This isn t just about me It s about using defense clearances as political weapons FORMER VP PENCE VOWS TO SPEAK OUT IF PRESIDENT TRUMP VEERS FROM 'CONSERVATIVE AGENDA' The lawsuit cites a affair in which Trump called Zaid a sleazeball at a Louisiana rally and notified reporters that the lawyer was a disgrace who should be sued The move to pull Zaid's clearance was a bald-faced attack on a sacred constitutional guarantee the right to petition the court or federal agencies on behalf of clients the lawsuit says noting that an attack on this right is especially insidious because it jeopardizes Mr Zaid s ability to pursue and represent the rights of others without fear of retribution Trump has also revoked clearances of several other political foes including former President Joe Biden former Vice President Kamala Harris former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and his own former national prevention advisor John Bolton as well as attorneys at other law firms CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPZaid urged the court to rule that Trump's revocation decision was unconstitutional and reinstate his clearance He has had access to classified information since and a safeguard clearance since Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment Reuters contributed to this summary
