Finally, after nearly three months of President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, people are getting fed up with his policies that seem to help no one but himself and his cronies. Americans have been shell-shocked by the barrage of executive orders – 112 as of April 9, according to the Federal Register – targeting federal workers; queer and transgender people; public education and teachers; immigration and refugees; economy-busting tariffs; decimation of global and U.S. public health systems; the environment; and so much more.
Last Saturday saw the largest protests of those resisting Trump. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in cities across the country, including San Francisco and other Bay Area locales, and in other nations to protest the Trump administration. Dubbed “Hands Off,” the rallies and marches drew ordinary Americans, Democratic politicians, and others in a show of resistance that has, so far, largely been missing in action.
There will be another chance this Saturday, April 12, at a special People’s March for Democracy in San Francisco.
What has been building in this country is more than just one day of protest. In other ways, people have taken action, cast a ballot, or fought the administration.
Ballot victory, Senate speech
Democrats got some good news at the ballot box last week when a liberal judge won a state Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin. This was despite the best efforts of Elon Musk, head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency and the billionaire owner of Tesla, X, and Space X, to buy votes by giving away money to Badger State residents. He and his affiliated groups also spent $21 million to back the conservative candidate through advertisements and other activities. In the end, the race wasn’t even close. Judge Susan Crawford won by 10 percentage points over Judge Brad Schimel. The result means that the state’s high court will retain a 4-3 liberal majority. Crucially, it could affect issues like voting rights and redistricting.
U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) offered his own type of resistance when he spoke on the Senate floor for 25 hours and five minutes. Starting Monday, March 31, at 7 p.m., he broke the previous record set by the late segregationist senator Strom Thurmond (R-South Carolina), who used his time to rail against the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Booker criticized Trump.
"In just 71 days, the president has inflicted harm after harm on Americans' safety, financial stability, the foundations of our democracy and any sense of common decency," Booker said. "These are not normal times in our nation. And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate."
And people were listening and watching. According to Booker’s office, his speech garnered 350 million-plus likes on his TikTok livestream – that’s where a lot of people get their news these days – and more than 28,000 voicemails of encouragement on his office line.
At a time when Democratic politicians have been asked repeatedly by constituents to “do something!” it was refreshing to see Booker give a voice to the anger and frustration so many people feel.
Subverting the rule of law
What’s been most troubling is the capitulation by some big law firms and universities. In the legal world, the firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison became the first to cave. The president threatened to revoke security clearances and government contracts of law firms that had hired attorneys he didn’t like or took up cases and clients that he believed disagreed with his agenda unless they complied with his demands, as the New Republic reported. In March, Paul, Weiss struck a deal and offered $40 million in free legal services on cases “that represent the full spectrum of political viewpoints of our society,” as the publication reported. But we know what that means – services for Trump-endorsed policies.
The New Republic noted that the firm also rescinded its own DEI policies. Since then, other law firms have made similar deals, the publication reported. Milbank LPP agreed to perform $100 million worth of pro bono legal services on “initiatives supported by the president and Milbank,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Most interestingly, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, the law firm where Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, is a partner, was another one that acquiesced. It agreed to provide $100 million in pro bono services for causes the administration supports, New Republic reported. CNN reported that at a recent charity gala in Los Angeles, Emhoff publicly criticized his law firm’s decision. According to the outlet, Emhoff told the firm that he wanted to fight the threat of an executive order he found unconstitutional but had been overruled, the sources said.
More than $200 million – and counting – certainly will provide a lot of top-notch legal services for pro-Trump causes, at the expense, we might add, of the many other organizations that may struggle to find good pro bono representation for issues that are equally important, such as environmental or gun control litigation. And yes, LGBTQ issues too, because a lot of times these big name law firms will assist an LGBTQ legal organization like Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund or the National Center for Lesbian Rights when they bring cases against the government.
In the academic realm, Columbia University in New York City agreed to some of the Trump administration’s demands after it threatened to withhold $400 million in federal funding. These include the university administration taking control of the school’s Middle East program from faculty, banning face masks on campus, and empowering security to arrest protesters, as the Guardian reported.
Some good news
Not all marquee law firms are bending the knee. Keker, Van Nest & Peters in San Francisco has doubled down on its resistance to Trump. “Lawyers and big firms: For God’s sake, stand up for the legal profession, and for the Constitution,” the senior partners wrote in an opinion piece, published March 30 in the New York Times. “Defend the oath you took when you became officers of the court. If we stand together and fight, we will win.”
In a separate statement late last month that was approved by partners Jon Keker, Robert Van Nest, and Elliot Peters, the trio noted that Trump’s order to his Justice Department to penalize his legal opponents shows “how far removed this President, Attorney General and Administration are from our nation’s Constitution and bedrock values. Our liberties depend on lawyers’ willingness to represent unpopular people and causes, including in matters adverse to the Federal Government,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
More recently, about 500 law firms signed on to a court filing against Trump’s executive orders targeting law firms. The Associated Press reported that the brief was filed on behalf of Perkins Coie, which is among the firms that have challenged the orders in court. The firm won an initial order temporarily blocking enforcement of security clearance revocations and other issues, but the case is ongoing.
“Whatever short-term advantage an administration may gain from exercising power in this way, the rule of law cannot long endure in the climate of fear that such actions create,” the brief stated. “Our adversarial system depends upon zealous advocates litigating each side of a case with equal vigor; that is how impartial judges arrive at just, informed decisions that vindicate the rule of law.”
That’s the key: upholding the rule of law. Of course, Trump believes fervently that he and his administration are above the law, but they are not. We reported in February that the American Bar Association restated its commitment to the rule of law. It’s imperative that law firms subscribe to this belief too, and it’s a shame that several have concluded that it’s better to cozy up to an authoritarian leader than stand their ground. But hats off to those firms whose attorneys realize the importance of an independent judiciary and that everyone deserves legal representation.
Keep protesting
Fresh off the Hands Off protests, some people may think they did enough. That would be the wrong message to take away from those events. And on Saturday, April 12, people opposed to Trump’s policies will have an opportunity to again express themselves. Drag artists Juanita MORE! and Alex U. Inn are bringing their People’s March to the greater Bay Area community. (The pair started the march in 2020 during Pride Month, and an LGBTQ-focused event will take place June 22.) This edition of the march is for democracy, MORE! and Inn told us last week. As Inn pointed out, Trump and Musk’s DOGE have affected far more than just the LGBTQ community.
“It’s the people’s fight,” said Inn. “Our moniker is perfect for this and the fact that legal and political chaos is disrupting all of our lives.”
In an interview with 48 Hills to promote the event, MORE! pointed out that the resistance is growing.
“Everyone is resisting,” she said. “Many local organizations are doing fantastic work to keep us safe and healthy. In San Francisco, we lead with the heart. Our history hasn’t always been perfect, but we have given hope to countless people worldwide. Our work to resist continues. Let’s take notes from our queer elders that stood up during the AIDS crisis and listen to the voices of our queer youth – they will lead us into the future.”
Inn spoke about what success would look like.
“Success is a tidal wave of resistance, a resounding ‘NO!’ to fascism,” Inn said. “It’s the spark that ignites a national movement, a declaration that we will not be silenced. Success is showing the world that we will protect our democracy. We will not be intimidated. We will not be silenced. We will not back down. We are here, and we are here to stay.”
A rally starts at noon at Embarcadero Plaza (Market and Steuart streets), and then people will march up Market Street to City Hall. If you’re tired of the direction the country has been going in since January 20, this is an opportunity to deliver that resounding NO.