WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Lance Gooden urged the U.S. Department of Justice to launch a full-scale investigation into the 65 Project, a hyper-partisan activist group that has aggressively targeted attorneys for their political affiliations—particularly those who represented or supported President Trump. Rep. Gooden also urged the DOJ to probe similar activist groups, law firms, and other entities that are complicit in using legal actions as a means of political intimidation and persecution.

In his letter, Rep. Gooden condemned the 65 Project’s coordinated lawfare campaign against over 100 attorneys across 26 states as a direct threat to the integrity of America’s legal system. 

“The 65 Project is a political hit squad masquerading as a watchdog organization. Their sole mission is to destroy the careers of conservative lawyers who dared to stand up for President Trump,” said Congressman Gooden. “This group doesn’t care about ethics; they care about power. They are weaponizing bar complaints and exploiting legal institutions to punish wrongthink. That ends now.”

Rep. Gooden called out the American Bar Association (ABA) for its failure to condemn the 65 Project’s partisan intimidation campaign and noted a glaring double standard: while conservative attorneys face public smears and threats of disbarment, Democrat-aligned firms like Perkins Coie continue to rake in taxpayer-funded contracts without scrutiny, despite violating ethical rules and engaging in similar post-election litigation.

Gooden’s letter calls on the DOJ to:

• Investigate the 65 Project and similar groups for their intimidation tactics against legal professionals who chose to represent President Trump.
  
  

• Investigate any law firms, organizations, or entities that were also complicit in targeting or threatening others for their political views or affiliation. 
  
  

• Evaluate potential breaches of ethical and legal standards and take appropriate action against those involved in political intimidation of legal professionals.
  
  

• Consider revoking security clearances and privileges for those complicit in targeting or intimidating other legal professionals for their political affiliation.
  
  

“President Trump and Attorney General Bondi are fierce advocates for a fair and equal justice system,” Gooden added. “I am confident they will take the appropriate steps to put an end to activist bullies like the 65 Project.”

Read the full letter here.