The U.S. Justice Department is seeking detailed records and depositions from 14 major law firms that were targeted by White House executive orders last year or that made deals with President Donald Trump to avoid his directives.

Background

The subpoenas, issued by the DOJ, demand records of the firms’ communications related to the executive orders, including records of communications with Boris Epshteyn, a longtime adviser to Trump, since the start of the president’s second term.

The DOJ is also seeking any communications the firms may have had with the American Bar Association about Epshteyn. It was not immediately clear whether the firms would challenge the subpoenas in court.

The Justice Department disclosed the subpoenas in a lawsuit brought last year by the ABA, which alleges its members face harm from an unlawful policy by the Trump administration to punish law firms over their past legal work, diversity policies and political ties.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.