Marc Elias Fights Back Against Trump in High-Stakes Legal Battle

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Lawyer Marc Elias, who served as general counsel for Hillary Clinton‘s 2016 campaign, remains locked in a fierce legal showdown with former President Donald Trump. Elias officially joined Clinton’s campaign on April 12, 2015, just as Trump announced his presidential run on June 16, 2015. The ensuing election cycle saw Trump and his campaign undermine democratic processes, an issue Elias sought to combat.

Throughout 2016, Elias led litigation efforts in battleground states to protect voting rights. Despite securing victories in some cases, Trump won the election, which only intensified Elias’s determination to uphold democracy in the subsequent years.

“Donald Trump is an avowed election critic and suppressor. He bears a personal grudge against me for my work,” Elias stated. He has faced multiple attacks from Trump and his supporters, who have resorted to lawsuits and public threats. Recently, a federal judge blocked Trump’s executive order aimed at retaliating against Elias’s former law firm, Perkins Coie.

The judge noted that Trump’s anger towards Perkins Coie stemmed from the firm’s representation of Clinton during the 2016 campaign and election litigation. The court further highlighted Trump’s inflammatory remarks against Elias, including a social media post in March 2024 that suggested he would pursue disciplinary actions against lawyers involved in opposition cases.

Elias’s recent high-profile interview on CBS‘s 60 Minutes shed light on Trump’s intimidation tactics against law firms critical of him. The segment featured him discussing Trump’s threat to the legal profession and democracy itself.

“When law firms are told, ‘If you don’t play ball, something bad might happen,’ that’s intimidating,” Elias remarked during the episode. He expressed concern over the growing silence of lawyers unwilling to stand against Trump’s tactics.

“I have worked in law for over 30 years. If I wanted to step back, now would be the time. But with Trump back, I can’t stop fighting,” he added, reflecting on his commitment to defending democracy.

The emotional weight of his message resonated with viewers. After the episode aired, Elias affirmed that encountering Trump’s hostility has only reinforced his resolve to speak out against perceived threats to justice and democracy. He concluded, “I will never back down. I will always speak out.”