Law firm representing Trump in Pennsylvania suit quits amid pressure and reports of ‘growing discomfort’

Law firm Porter Wright Morris & Arthur has said in a court filing that they will no longer be representing the Trump campaign in a Pennsylvania lawsuit alleging “voting irregularities.”

“Plaintiffs and Porter Wright have reached a mutual agreement that plaintiffs will be best served if Porter Wright withdraws,” the court filing stated. 

The federal lawsuit was filed by the firm only days before the withdrawal. The firm has already received more than $700,000 in fees from the Trump campaign and Republican National Committee.

The withdrawal follows a New York Times article detailing employees feeling “growing discomfort” over the suit, with some fearing the firm was helping to destroy faith in the electoral process. 

The suit filed this week by the firm alleged “voting irregularities” across multiple counties in Pennsylvania. The suit claims voters’ ballots were held to different standards depending on who they voted for. The campaign is claiming “thousands of invalid ballots” were counted as a result of this. 

The Democratic National Committee has filed a motion to dismiss the suit. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) has also called the suit “meritless” and claimed voting in his state was “lawful” and “secure.” 

Porter Wright has filed other motions on behalf of the Trump campaign in Pennsylvania, and it is unclear if they will continue to represent them in those matters. 

In a Wednesday statement defending their involvement with the Trump campaign, the firm admitted it was a “controversial case,” but said they had represented other campaigns in such matters, regardless of political affiliation.

“We expect criticism in such instances, and we affirm the right of all individuals to express concern and disagreement,” they said. 

Anti-Trump activists had targeted the law firm, as well as Jones Day which is also representing the president’s campaign on multiple lawsuits. The Lincoln Project, an activist group founded by Republicans, had announced an advertising campaign this week that would target firms representing Trump’s campaign in voter fraud cases.

“Employees of @JonesDay and @PorterWright, do you believe your law firms should be attempting to overturn the will of the American people?” the group’s Twitter account posted this week, along with links to the LinkedIn pages for both companies.

In the new court filing from Porter Wright, the firm said Trump’s campaign is “in the process of retaining” other counsel. Linda Kerns, a solo practitioner based in Philadelphia, who was also representing the campaign in the suit will remain with the case. 

Trump currently trails Biden in Pennsylvania by more than 50,000 votes. 

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