Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, is launching a probe into nine law firms that signed agreements with the Trump administration, asking whether they are aiding efforts to undermine climate change action.
In letters to the nine firms that agreed to provide nearly $1 billion in free legal aid to the White House to avoid being targeted by President Donald Trump, the Rhode Island Democrat warned that there is “abundant reason to expect that you may be dragooned by the Trump administration into fossil fuel’s service.”
Trump in February began issuing executive orders targeting law firms for allegedly “weaponizing” the legal system against him and his allies, citing the firms’ association with his political adversaries.
Nine firms signed agreements with Trump, promising to do pro bono legal work for the administration. Trump last month suggested that some of the law firms could help with his efforts to boost coal production.
