DC Hearing on Ethics Charges for Trump Justice Official Clark

Jeffrey Clark, a senior official in the former President Donald Trump’s administration, is at risk of losing his license to practice law as a Washington legal ethics panel starts to consider evidence on Tuesday regarding his involvement in Trump’s efforts to dispute the 2020 election.

Clark, who held the position of acting head of the Justice Department’s civil division under Trump, is facing a hearing on ethics charges accusing him of actions that show dishonesty and could interfere with the justice system.

Clark, who has denied breaching legal ethics rules, posted on social media Monday that he is being targeted “because I am a Trump supporter who questioned the 2020 election.”

The hearing is being conducted by a three-member committee of the Board on Professional Responsibility, a part of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. If found guilty of breaching ethics rules, Clark could have his license suspended or revoked. The full board would review any such recommendation, and the final decision lies with the appeals court.

The District of Columbia Office of Disciplinary Counsel, responsible for investigating lawyers accused of not following legal ethics rules, brought the case against Clark.

Trump, the Republican candidate who contested the 2020 election results against Democrat President Joe Biden, is facing legal charges in Georgia’s state court and federal court in Washington for attempting to investigate claims of election fraud.

Clark is a co-defendant in the Georgia case and has pleaded not guilty. He is also listed as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the federal case. The ethics panel is expected to examine incidents relevant to these cases.

Trump tried to appoint Clark as head of the Justice Department in his final days in office while pushing false allegations of widespread voter fraud in the election.

Clark tried to send a letter to Georgia officials in December 2020 stating that the Justice Department had “identified significant concerns” that could have affected Trump’s defeat in that state, as per charges filed in 2022.

Justice Department leaders found no evidence of widespread voter fraud and refused to send the letter. Trump abandoned his plan to name Clark as acting attorney general after department leaders and top White House lawyers threatened to resign in protest.

Two of Clark’s Justice Department superiors – former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen and former acting Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue – have cooperated with the ethics investigation and are expected to testify during the hearing.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., a vocal Trump supporter, and former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows might provide testimony in support of Clark, according to his lawyers.

Similar ethics cases are ongoing in Washington against Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s former lawyer, and three other lawyers involved in efforts to investigate or challenge the 2020 election outcome.