Ask Jordan: Could Pam Bondi or Lindsey Halligan be disbarred for bringing Trump’s retribution?

Can Trump's Retribution Lawyers be Disbarred?

In an era where loyalty and partisanship seem to define politics, one group has been at the forefront of President Donald Trump's retribution efforts – lawyers who have brought high-profile cases against his enemies. The question on everyone's mind is: can these lawyers be held accountable? Can Pam Bondi and Lindsey Halligan be disbarred for their actions?

While it's possible that state bars could take action, experts say the hurdles are high, and expectations should be tempered. State rules do bind attorneys to a code of conduct, but there isn't an ethics exception for those working in the Trump administration.

In Florida, where Bondi is licensed, a group of lawyers, law professors, and former judges filed an ethics complaint against her earlier this year, alleging that she's used "zealous advocacy" as a pretext to compel DOJ lawyers to violate their ethical obligations. However, the Florida Bar claims it can't investigate her due to its policy on investigating sitting officers appointed under the U.S. Constitution while in office.

That leaves open the possibility of disciplinary action after Bondi leaves her current position. For now, any potential repercussions seem unlikely to affect her during her tenure as DOJ head.

Meanwhile, Lindsey Halligan, who's led the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of Virginia since being installed by Trump, has secured indictments against high-profile Trump critics James Comey and Letitia James over their objection from career prosecutors. As she's licensed in Florida, we can examine that state's rules to see if she might have violated any.

The question is: did Halligan knowingly bring cases without probable cause? Given the low standard for grand jury proceedings, proving this would be an almost impossible task unless she confesses to it. Another potential issue lies in her failure to disclose key evidence, which could lead to dismissal of charges or even sanctions under Florida's "Brady" obligations.

While we wait and see how these cases unfold, one thing is clear – the line between loyalty and corruption can become very blurred when politics gets involved.

omg u guys i cant even rn, it seems like trumps lawyers r above the law lol idk what's more sus, them or their ability to avoid getting disbarred its like they think dey r invincible anyway i dont think its a good idea 4 them 2 be able 2 do whatever dey want w/o consequences cuz thats not how justice works and btw can u imagine if joe biden had lawyers 2 retaliate like this? it would b a whole diff story

I'm like super curious about this - so Pam Bondi and Lindsey Halligan are basically Trump's top lawyers right now and they're allegedly doing some shady stuff Like, isn't it suspicious that they're only taking on cases against Trump's enemies? And what's up with the Florida Bar not being able to investigate her because of some rule about sitting officers? That does sound kinda fishy

And Lindsey Halligan is like totally taking a risk by bringing those indictments without probable cause - I don't know if she'd be caught out, but it's definitely something to watch. The "Brady" obligations thing is also super interesting - that could lead to some major issues if she messed up and didn't disclose key evidence

But you know what the real question should be? Why are these lawyers being allowed to get away with this stuff in the first place? Like, where's the accountability? And what about all the other Trump lawyers who might be doing similar things without facing any consequences? We need some answers on this one

I'm low-key freaking out over this ... I mean, think about it - if these lawyers can get away with basically doing whatever they want to take down Trump's enemies, what's next? It's like, where does the line between doing your job and being a personal vendetta machine even get drawn? The idea that you're supposed to follow some code of conduct or ethics exception just doesn't sit right with me. And can we talk about how this whole thing is basically a case of "who's got the biggest stick" in Washington? I'm not saying these lawyers are definitely going to get disbarred, but come on... the bar has gotta do better than just letting them slide because they're part of Trump's crew.

They're too comfortable in their power to get disbarred lol

I'm keeping a close eye on Pam Bondi and Lindsey Halligan, her actions are definitely suspicious . I mean, using "zealous advocacy" as an excuse to push DOJ lawyers to break their own rules? That's not right . And now they're taking cases against Trump critics without probable cause? That's a huge red flag .

I think the Florida Bar should at least investigate Bondi after she leaves her position, you never know what might come out . As for Lindsey Halligan, I'm not buying the whole "prosecutor objections" thing . There's gotta be more to it than that.

The problem is that when politics gets involved, the lines between loyalty and corruption get all fuzzy . It's hard to know what's really going on without more info . Still, I'm keeping an eye on these lawyers, they might just end up getting their license revoked .

I mean, it's gotta be hard for them to do their jobs without getting accused of being too partisan, right? Like, don't get me wrong, I'm all for holding people accountable, but Trump's been in office for years and we still haven't seen him go down. And now his lawyers are taking it out on these other politicians who are just trying to do their jobs... it's like they're being unfairly targeted.

I've read some of Bondi's cases and she seems pretty extreme, even by Trump standards, but I don't think disbarment is in the cards for her anytime soon. Like, even if Florida does eventually investigate her, she'll probably just leave her DOJ post before that happens.

It's wild to see how these lawyers are going all out to take down their enemies, especially when there's not exactly a clear case against them. And what about the people who are getting indicted just because they crossed Trump? Like, don't we need some basic level of due process here?

omg is this even possible?? i mean like what happens to ppl who do whats wrong in their jobs? shouldn't they be held accountable or somethin

omg, cant believe what's goin on w/ Trump's lawyers ! i mean, they're basically tryna get away w/ murder lol. bondi & halligan r clearly showin their partisanship & it's gettin outta hand. dont even get me started on the florida bar not bein able to investigate her due 2 that stupid policy . it's like, how are we s'posed 2 know if they're doin right by the law w/ all these ethics loopholes? need more transparency & accountability ASAP

I wonder if Trump's retribution lawyers will ever get the heat they deserve . I mean, can you imagine if someone did that to him? It's like a double standard, right? Pam Bondi and Lindsey Halligan seem like they're above the law . And I'm all for accountability, especially when it comes to using the justice system to get back at people. The fact that Florida's bar can't investigate Bondi due to her position as DOJ head is just mind-blowing . It's like they're not even trying to follow the rules anymore .

Trump's lawyers are like a bad penny - hard to get rid of

I'm so worried about this , like what even is happening with Trump's retribution lawyers? They're basically just doing whatever they want and getting away with it . I mean, if someone in the public does that kind of thing, they'd be disbarred for life! But these lawyers are above the law ? It's like they think they can just break ethics rules because they're working for Trump .

And what's with this lack of accountability ? They're basically going around arresting people without probable cause, and then we have to figure out if they did it on purpose or not . It's like the whole system is rigged against us . We need some serious reform ASAP , like an ethics exception for Trump administration lawyers or something . This is so frustrating!

I mean... come on . These lawyers are basically doing Trump's dirty work for him and they think they're above the law? It's wild to me that their actions aren't being held accountable yet. I get it, state bars have rules, but it seems like a pretty clear-cut case of ethics violations going on here.

I'm not saying disbar them entirely, but something needs to be done about these lawyers' behavior. They're putting their own interests ahead of justice and it's gross . And what really gets my goat is that they're just using the "loyalty" excuse to justify their actions. Newsflash: loyalty should never come at the expense of ethics.

It's like, if you're gonna be a lawyer, you gotta follow the law, not just play politics. I'm all for holding people accountable, but these lawyers are basically above the law right now and it's unacceptable .

man this is getting crazy like what happens next? i dont think its possible to disbar these lawyers cause of trump they have immunity or smthn lol anyway i think its a good thing that ppl are speaking out about this stuff it brings awareness to the fact that we need stricter rules in place especially when politics gets involved

im really confused about this whole thing ... so these lawyers are basically working for trump and then they're like "oh no, i might have broken some rules" ... but what's the real motive here? is it just about being loyal to trumps agenda or is there something more going on?

and omg, james Comey and Letitia James were indicted over their objections ... that's wild. does halligan even care about justice or is she just following orders from trump? and what about the grand jury proceedings? how can they even prove that she knew she was acting without probable cause?

it's like, shouldn't these lawyers be held accountable for their actions? shouldn't there be some kind of ethics exception for working in the trump administration? but at the same time, i don't want to jump to conclusions or assume anything... it's all so murky and confusing

idk about disbarment for Pam Bondi... she's been pretty vocal about her opposition to Obama, but that doesn't necessarily mean she broke any rules . state bars do have some leeway, but it seems like they're more interested in policing politicians than actual lawyers who might be doing something shady.

lindsey halligan is a whole different story tho... i'm not saying she's definitely broken the law or anything, but if there's even a hint of impropriety, florida's got some serious questions to answer . it's like, one thing is investigating for partisan reasons, and another is actively working against career prosecutors' advice. that's just a recipe for disaster .

i'm not sure what the solution is here... i guess we'll just have to keep an eye on these cases and see how they play out .

I'm not gonna lie, this whole situation with Bondi and Halligan has me pretty concerned. Like, I get it, they're lawyers, but also...Trump's pals . How do we know they're not just doing what Trump tells them to do? It's like, there's a code of conduct for attorneys, but is that even enforceable in these situations?

I mean, Halligan led the team that indicted Comey and James over their objections, which sounds kinda shady . Did she really think they were guilty or was it just a Trump thing? And what about all those witnesses and evidence being withheld? That's just not cool .

But at the same time, I'm also thinking...can't we trust our state bars to do their job? They've got rules in place for a reason. It's like, they need to be able to take action without looking like they're out of touch with reality . I guess only time will tell if Bondi and Halligan are gonna get the boot...and honestly, I'm not holding my breath

omg i just had the craziest dream last nite about a lawyer being accused of stealing all my fave snacks like what if they do get disbarred tho wouldnt that be soo satisfying for everyone who hates them lol and btw can someone explain to me how grand jury proceedings work again? im still kinda lost on that whole thing

I'm all for keeping an eye on Bondi and Halligan, but let's not be too hasty to say they're guilty of disbarment just yet! I mean, we've seen plenty of lawyers get caught up in the heat of the moment and make questionable decisions. Maybe they were driven by a desire to do what they thought was right, even if it wasn't exactly by the book? It's also worth noting that these guys are just doing their jobs, and Trump's administration has been pretty aggressive in its pursuit of its goals. Can we really expect them to toe the line when everyone around them is getting the boot for being "too partisan"? I think it's more about holding politicians accountable than taking down individual lawyers who are just trying to do their thing!

the situation with trump's retribution lawyers is super concerning . i think it's crazy that they might not be held accountable for their actions. i mean, shouldn't they be disbarred if they're basically retaliating against trumps enemies? but apparently, the hurdles are pretty high. it's like, state bars have rules and all, but there isn't a loophole for trump staff. it's frustrating because we should expect more from our lawyers, especially when they're representing the government . i'm keeping an eye on this situation to see how it plays out