Washington (AP) – Two lawyers representing Harvard University The battle with the Trump administration No stranger to Washington’s investigations reaching the Spotlight and the White House.
One of them, Robert Huar, was a high-ranking Justice Department official during President Donald Trump’s first term and served for a while as a federal prosecutor in Maryland. But he is probably best known as that Special Advisors who investigated the handling of classified information by President Joe Biden And a few months before Democrats dropped their bid for reelection, they wrote a report depicting Biden’s mental vision damage assessment.
The other William Burg The go-to lawyer for Washington’s legal crisis dating back to 2019. The former White House lawyer for President George W. Bush, represents several Trump peers during an investigation by special advisor Robert Mueller on Russian election interference, and more recently New York Mayor Eric Adams defended the corruption case brought inand was later dropped by the Department of Justice.
The lawyer’s involvement is well-known in the conservative legal world and was chosen in the past in the position of prominent Trump orbit – has become an interesting wrinkle to the highly consequential conflict between the federal government and the country’s oldest and wealthiest university. Collisions are shaped in order A key moment in Trump’s continued efforts to bending elite universities If they do not agree to major campus reforms, to his will by threatening to keep federal funds billions down.
Kermit Roosevelt, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said picking a pair is “a wise move on Harvard’s part.” “They are looking for people the administration doesn’t dismiss as the left.”
Seeing at-risk issues with lawyers:
Who is Robert Herr?
Hull, the son of a Korean immigrant and Harvard alumni himself, has spoken openly about his desire to regain his family decades ago.
After years as a federal prosecutor in Maryland, he was named the Department of Justice’s main assistant deputy attorney general (one of the agency’s most powerful positions), and was selected early in the first Trump administration, where he spoke about his efforts to counter gang violence from the White House podium in 2017. He was later unanimously confirmed by the Senate for the role of Maryland’s US lawyer.
“Rob has proven to be a very capable, friendly, straight arrow, and a very good litigator,” said Harvey Eisenberg, a former Baltimore prosecutor who worked with HuR. “He’s just an expert.”
January 2023, He was chosen as General Merrick Garland of the time. Serving as a special advisor, he investigates whether he misinterpreted the confidential material Biden had taken with him after serving as vice president.
At the time of appointment, Har pledged to conduct the investigation with a “cool judgment.” His conservative authenticity – besides his service in the Trump administration, he Supreme Court Justice William Lanequist The Supreme Court intended to inform the public that the findings were reliable, as it is in the hands of external prosecutors that they do not protect the president for political purposes.
His final report a year later violated Biden for keeping classified material, but found the criminal charges to be unjustified. One of Hur’s more memorable conclusions was that it would be difficult to prove to the Ju Judge that Biden had the necessary criminal intent, as he is likely to present himself as a “sympathetic and well-meaning older man.”
Republicans seized the language to raise questions about Biden’s ability to lead the country over a second term, and Biden and his advisors accused Hur of reaching an unfair assessment beyond his mission. Hur defended his investigation as independent and strict and said he needed to explain Biden’s spirit to show how he reached the decision not to file charges.
Hur has since returned to private practice and has been a partner at the King & Spalding law firm.
Who is William Burke?
Burck has long been one of Washington’s most well-known lawyers and has a track record of participating in a string of politically complex and well-known issues.
Burke, a former federal prosecutor who was part of the Justice Department trial team in the Martha Stewart case, is also the top lawyer for the Bush White House and advised the president on legal issues.
“Bill has always been a straight shooter,” said Roosevelt, who was also the clerk of the Supreme Court as well as Burg. “He was honest, reliable, honorable, and a very good lawyer.”
A few years later, As Mueller investigated whether the Trump campaign conspired with Russia during the 2016 electionBurck represented Trump’s stable, including then-White House Chief Reince Priebus, and then White House counsel Don McGahn and Reince Priebus. Everything was a witness to the investigation. I was not charged.
He also played a role in the 2018 Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation process.when he was responsible for culling Senate documents from Kavanaugh’s White House days. Some Democrats have denounced Republicans over documents made available to Republicans, claiming that the document, called Burkewk, because it represents a Trump World figure, was brushed when he told The Associated Press at the time.
Burck also represented New England Patriot owner Robert Kraft against the charges he paid for massage parlor sex – Florida prosecutors later dismissed the case – and was part of Adams’ defense team as Trump administration’s Justice Department prosecutors moved to eliminate the charges.
In January, the Trump organization announced it was hiring Burck, the managing partner of Quinn Emanuel LLP. Veterinary transactions that can lead to conflict with public policy. He also said that when Paul Weiss’ law firm reached a settlement last month. The Trump White House has brought about an earlier executive order for it to be withdrawn.
What is the Harvard controversy?
The federal government said this week that the Trump administration is frozen over $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts with Harvard for the seventh time. I took that step It is one of the most elite colleges in the country.
This is part of a broader effort to enforce compliance with the administration’s political agenda, influence campus policies, and limit student activity.
In a letter dated Monday, Hur and Burck argued that Harvard University was already making “permanent and robust structural, policy and program changes” to ensure that it is a welcoming and supportive learning environment for all students. However, Harvard said it would not respond to the administration’s demands, including broad government and leadership reforms, to maintain its funds.
“Universities will not waive independence or waive constitutional rights. Neither Harvard nor other private universities will be allowed to take over to the federal government,” the lawyer wrote. “Therefore, Harvard does not accept government terms as a contract, as a rule.”
Harvard President Alan Gerber threw a similar note saying the government cannot direct what the university teaches and who they would recognize or hire.
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