# Jeffrey Clark, former Assistant Attorney General, pleads 5th in disbarment proceedings **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [April 3, 2024, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffrey-clark-former-assistant-attorney-general-pleads-5th-in-disbarment-proceedings/999763 "2024-04-03T02:22:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffrey-clark-former-assistant-attorney-general-pleads-5th-in-disbarment-proceedings/999763/1 "2024-04-03T02:22:06Z")
And another Trump lawyer is facing disbarment for his role in Starting the Steal (by Trump). Jeffrey Clark was the Assistant AG in the DOJ with responsibility for environmental litigation. Trump wanted to put him in charge of the DOJ, but was dissuaded by threats of mass resignation. He’s facing discipline from the DC bar. Apparently pled the 5th several times in the proceedings. (He’s been charged criminally in Georgia and is an unindicted co-conspirator in the federal charges against Trump.) > **[Election denier who Trump wanted to take over DOJ invokes the 5th in...](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/election-denier-trump-wanted-take-doj-pleads-5th-disbarment-hearing-rcna145341?cid=referral_taboolafeed)** > > Jeffrey Clark, an environmental lawyer who nearly became acting attorney general days before the Jan. 6 attack, repeatedly asserted privilege during a disciplinary hearing. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffrey-clark-former-assistant-attorney-general-pleads-5th-in-disbarment-proceedings/999763/2 "2024-04-03T02:36:36Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Trump wanted to put him in charge of the DOJ, but was dissuaded by threats of mass resignation. I’m surprised Tan the Conman, for that reason alone, didn’t put him in charge. ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffrey-clark-former-assistant-attorney-general-pleads-5th-in-disbarment-proceedings/999763/3 "2024-04-03T02:43:11Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Apparently pled the 5th several times in the proceedings Cue the tape with a million quotes from the Great Pumpkinhead about how taking the 5th automatically makes you guilty. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffrey-clark-former-assistant-attorney-general-pleads-5th-in-disbarment-proceedings/999763/4 "2024-04-03T03:05:10Z")
The fifth, executive privilege, and attorney/client privilege. He tried it all. I don’t believe it went over well. ---
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffrey-clark-former-assistant-attorney-general-pleads-5th-in-disbarment-proceedings/999763/5 "2024-04-03T03:18:32Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > The fifth, executive privilege, and attorney/client privilege. He tried it all. I Attorney/client privilege? Who was he an attorney for? The people of the United States of America, since he worked for the DOJ. If he thinks he was working for someone else he has more issues than i thought (and i thought he had a lot). ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffrey-clark-former-assistant-attorney-general-pleads-5th-in-disbarment-proceedings/999763/6 "2024-04-03T03:19:46Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I’m surprised Tan the Conman, for that reason alone, didn’t put him in charge. Just another indication that DJT is a bully who talks big but doesn’t have the courage to put it in action. A blowhard coward. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffrey-clark-former-assistant-attorney-general-pleads-5th-in-disbarment-proceedings/999763/7 "2024-04-03T03:23:33Z")
> [@MulderMuffin](#): > > Attorney/client privilege? Who was he an attorney for? The people of the United States of America, since he worked for the DOJ. If he thinks he was working for someone else he has more issues than i thought (and i thought he had a lot). The article addresses that: > [@](#): > > Patricia Matthews, a member of the three-person panel hearing the case, asked Clark who his client was in connection with his invocation of attorney-client privilege: “For whom were you the attorney?” she asked. > > “For President Trump, the head of the executive branch, the sole head, the unitary head of Article Two, the executive branch of the United States government,” Clark said. ( **Typically, Justice Department employees say that their client is the United States of America, not one particular president.** ) (My bolding; you’re right.) ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffrey-clark-former-assistant-attorney-general-pleads-5th-in-disbarment-proceedings/999763/8 "2024-04-03T13:01:49Z")
yes, as northern piper quoted, he tried to claim attorney client privilege with trump. it will not go over well. about the only thing i can credit trump with is he is really good at flushing out. in the words of ms rodham clinton, " the deplorables". ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2024, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffrey-clark-former-assistant-attorney-general-pleads-5th-in-disbarment-proceedings/999763/9 "2024-04-05T17:17:47Z")
Step One: decide if Clark … Did A Bad Thing. He did: > **[Trump ally Clark broke ethics rule in election subversion attempts, panel rules](https://news.yahoo.com/trump-ally-clark-broke-ethics-191416536.html)** > > Attorney Jeffrey Clark, who held a senior role in the U.S. Justice Department during Donald Trump's presidency, should face professional discipline over his effort to enlist the agency in the former president’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election... It’s beginning to look as though “Just doing my job” and “free speech …” ain’t quite the legal flex that Trump and his cabal thought they’d be. > The preliminary, nonbinding decision now sets off further proceeding to determine what Clark’s sanctions should be. Stay tuned… ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2024, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffrey-clark-former-assistant-attorney-general-pleads-5th-in-disbarment-proceedings/999763/10 "2024-05-18T13:48:01Z")
Forgot to post the initial ruling in early April: [https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/04/jeffrey-clark-ethics-rules-00150631](https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/04/jeffrey-clark-ethics-rules-00150631) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2024, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffrey-clark-former-assistant-attorney-general-pleads-5th-in-disbarment-proceedings/999763/11 "2024-05-18T13:53:34Z")
And a bit more detail: > **[Trump DOJ lawyer behind fake electors plot should be disbarred, disciplinary...](https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/jeffrey-clark-betrayed-his-oath-trump-doj-lawyer-behind-fake-electors-plot-should-be-disbarred-disciplinary-panel-says/)** > > A three-member panel for the D.C. Disciplinary Counsel has recommended Jeffrey Clark be disbarred because no other sanction would be strong enough. A final decision will be made in the weeks ahead.