Panel Finds that Jeffrey Clark Violated Ethics Rule in Attempted Election Subversion

A Washington legal panel concluded on Thursday that Attorney Jeffrey Clark, a senior figure in the Justice Department during Donald Trump’s presidency, should be subject to professional discipline for his involvement in the former president’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

After several days of testimony on Clark’s attempt to take control of the Justice Department in the waning days of Trump’s presidency in an effort to block the certification of Joe Biden’s victory based on false claims of widespread voter fraud, the three-member committee of the District of Columbia Board on Professional Responsibility found that Clark had violated at least one attorney ethics rule.

Although a lawyer representing Clark denied any violation of ethics rules, the panel will recommend a specific sanction at a later date, which could potentially include the suspension or revocation of Clark’s law license pending approval by the full board and a Washington appeals court.

The head of the D.C. Office of Disciplinary Counsel, Hamilton “Phil” Fox, indicated that he would push for Clark’s disbarment in light of the charges brought against him, which included allegations of attempting actions “involving dishonesty” that could disrupt the administration of justice.

One such action cited was Clark’s proposal to send a letter to Georgia officials falsely claiming the Justice Department had identified significant election concerns that might have influenced the election results in Georgia and other states. The letter urged state lawmakers to investigate alleged election irregularities and consider appointing a slate of presidential electors for Trump despite Biden’s victory in the state.