The law firm of Jenner & Block sued the Trump administration for stripping security clearance from its lawyers and barring it from federal contracts, arguing the law firm is the victim of an “unconstitutional abuse of power.”

President Trump singled out the law firm in an executive order that also limits Jenner & Block lawyers’ access to government buildings.

Jenner & Block had previously employed Andrew Weismann, one of the prosecutors on special counsel Robert Mueller’s fruitless probe to find Trump-Russia collusion to rig the 2016 election. Mr. Weismann now appears as an adherent Trump critic on MSNBC.

In the order, Mr. Trump accuses Jenner & Block of engaging in “conduct detrimental to critical American interests that threaten public safety, national security, limit constitutional freedoms, degrade the quality of American elections or undermine bedrock American principles.” 

Jenner & Block’s lawsuit said the order violates their constitutional rights to free speech, due process and right to counsel by impairing its ability to represent its clients. The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Washington.

“The Constitution, top to bottom, protects against such attempts by the government to target citizens and lawyers based on the opinions they voice, the people with whom they associate, and the clients they represent,” the lawsuit said.

Jenner & Block said the order is intended to “hamper the ability of individuals and businesses to have the lawyers of their choice zealously represent them. And it is intended to coerce law firms and lawyers into renouncing the Administration’s critics and ceasing certain representations adverse to the government.” 

Mr. Trump has been targeting law firms that have represented or employed individuals involved in criminal investigations against him or filed lawsuits against his administration. The firms targeted by Mr. Trump are ones he’s said have “weaponized” the legal system.

On Thursday, Mr. Trump added another law firm to the list, issuing an executive order revoking security clearances for attorneys at WilmerHale, which once employed Mr. Mueller.

In addition to Jenner & Block and WilmerHale, Mr. Trump targeted Paul Weiss, Perkins Coie and Covington & Burling. 

Mr. Trump last week rescinded the order against Paul Weiss after the firm committed to representing clients regardless of their political leanings and pledged $40 million in pro bono legal services to issues Mr. Trump has championed. The deal was heavily criticized as the firm, which counts some high-profile Democrats on its roster of attorneys, was seen as kowtowing to the president to protect its bottom line.

Perkins Coie filed a suit against Mr. Trump earlier this month to stop the executive order targeting it. A federal judge quickly issued an injunction, saying the order “sends little chills down my spine.”

• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.