Trump Announces Law Firm That Sued Dinesh D’Souza Over Fake Election Claims Will Do $100 Million in Hours to Support Admin
Screenshot via YouTube
President Donald Trump on Friday announced that the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom will provide $100 million in pro bono work for the administration.
Trump called the agreement “essentially a settlement,” his announcement comes after other elite firms made similar promises to the avoid punishment. Since the start of his second term, the president has gone after firms associated with his political opponents.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said:
Today, President Donald J. Trump and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP announce the following agreement regarding a series of actions to be taken by Skadden:
1. Skadden will provide a total of at least $100 Million Dollars in pro bono Legal Services, during the Trump Administration and beyond, to causes that the President and Skadden both support, in relation to the following areas: Assisting Veterans and other Public Servants, including members of the Military, Law Enforcement, First Responders, and Federal, State, and Local Government Officials; ensuring fairness in our Justice System; and combatting Antisemitism. Skadden will change its pro bono policy so that all pro bono moving forward will be done in the Firm name. A pro bono Committee will be constituted to ensure that pro bono matters are consistent with the objectives of the program, and that pro bono activities represent the full political spectrum.
2. The Skadden Foundation will commit to the mission of providing pro bono Legal Services to a wide variety of deserving organizations and individuals. Skadden is committed to funding no fewer than five Skadden Fellows each year dedicated to the following projects: Assisting Veterans; ensuring fairness in our Justice System; combatting Antisemitism, and other similar types of projects. Law Graduates that receive Skadden Fellowships will represent a wide range of political views, including conservative ideals.
3. Skadden affirms its commitment to merit-based hiring, promotion, and retention. Accordingly, the Firm will not engage in illegal DEI discrimination and preferences. Skadden will engage independent outside counsel to advise the Firm to ensure employment practices are fully compliant with Law, including, but not limited to, anti-discrimination Laws.
4. Skadden will not deny representation to clients, such as members of politically disenfranchised groups, who have not historically received legal representation from major National Law Firms, including in pro bono matters, and in support of non-profits, because of the personal political views of individual lawyers.
The law firm is most notable in recent memory for its lawsuit against pro-Trump author Dinesh D’Souza. Following the release of D’Souza’s inaccurate and widely-panned documentary about the 2020 election, an Atlanta-area man D’Souza accused of being a “ballot harvester” pursued legal action. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom assisted with the suit.
