Law Works is the organization behind the 65 Project, a campaign to disbar lawyers that supported President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and prevent future Republican-led electoral legal challenges.
Little is known about Law Works. The group came to light in March 2022 when Axios reported on the 65 Project. However, Law Works has no website and no publicly available financial disclosures.
65 Project
In March 2022, Law Works launched the 65 Project by filing ethics complaints against 10 lawyers who worked on lawsuits to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in favor of President Donald Trump. The group plans to seek the disbarment of 111 lawyers from 26 states. The targeted lawyers include President Trump’s legal advisors such Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis, lawyers who presented themselves as purported “alternate electors” for Trump, and attorneys who allegedly supported the January 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol. 1
The group will launch ads in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, all battleground states. The 65 Project will also encourage the American Bar Association to codify rules banning frivolous attempts to overturn elections. 2
The 65 Project expressed plans to spend $2.5 million on its campaign in its first year. 3
Criticisms
Though the 65 Project claims to be bipartisan, 4 it is not targeting any Democratic-aligned attorneys who have challenged election laws in the past and is advised exclusively by Democrats and Democratic allies. Texas attorney Paul Davis has described the project as “a desperate attempt by leftist hacks and mercenaries” and an effort “to neutralize anyone on the right with the ability to stand in the way of the left’s efforts to hide malfeasance in the 2020 elections and to clear the path for a repeat of similar malfeasance in the 2022 mid-terms.” 5
Leadership
Attorney Michael Teter is the managing director of the 65 Project. He was previously a general counsel for Represent.Us, a left-of-center campaign finance regulation group, and an assistant attorney general in Utah. From 2006-2008, Teter was a litigation associate at Perkins Coie, a law firm with close ties to the Democratic National Committee. Prior. He was worked as the Wisconsin state field director for the presidential campaign of John Kerry (D-MA) and managed the Senatorial campaign of former U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI). Early in his career, Teter served as the deputy finance director of the California Democratic Party. 6
The 65 Project is advised by David Brock, the founder of Media Matters for America and American Bridge 21st Century. 7
Another advisor to the 65 Project is Detroit lawyer David Fink, who successfully persuaded a judge to sanction nine lawyers involved in the “Kraken” lawsuit, including Sidney Powell and Lin Wood. David’s son, Nathan Fink, is an advisor as well. 8
The 65 Project’s advisory board includes former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), former Department of Homeland Security official Paul Rosenzweig, former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Christine Durham, and former American Bar Association president Roberta Ramo. 9
References
- Markay, Lachlan and Swan, Jonathan. “Scoop: High-powered group targets Trump lawyers’ livelihoods.” Axios. March 7, 2022. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.axios.com/trump-election-lawyers-disbar-5c2b9252-d15d-495f-a759-2446d9fa62e8.html.
- [1] Markay, Lachlan and Swan, Jonathan. “Scoop: High-powered group targets Trump lawyers’ livelihoods.” Axios. March 7, 2022. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.axios.com/trump-election-lawyers-disbar-5c2b9252-d15d-495f-a759-2446d9fa62e8.html.
- Markay, Lachlan and Swan, Jonathan. “Scoop: High-powered group targets Trump lawyers’ livelihoods.” Axios. March 7, 2022. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.axios.com/trump-election-lawyers-disbar-5c2b9252-d15d-495f-a759-2446d9fa62e8.html
- Klasfeld, Adam. “Advocacy Group Files Wave of Ethics Complaints Against Jenna Ellis and Other ‘Big Lie Lawyers’ Who Tried to Overturn Election for Trump.” Law and Crime. March 7, 2022. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/advocacy-group-files-wave-of-ethics-complaints-against-jenna-ellis-and-other-big-lie-lawyers-who-tried-to-overturn-election-for-trump/.
- Markay, Lachlan and Swan, Jonathan. “Scoop: High-powered group targets Trump lawyers’ livelihoods.” Axios. March 7, 2022. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.axios.com/trump-election-lawyers-disbar-5c2b9252-d15d-495f-a759-2446d9fa62e8.html.
- “Michael Teter.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-teter-7b0a8a1a2/.
- Markay, Lachlan and Swan, Jonathan. “Scoop: High-powered group targets Trump lawyers’ livelihoods.” Axios. March 7, 2022. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.axios.com/trump-election-lawyers-disbar-5c2b9252-d15d-495f-a759-2446d9fa62e8.html.
- Klasfeld, Adam. “Advocacy Group Files Wave of Ethics Complaints Against Jenna Ellis and Other ‘Big Lie Lawyers’ Who Tried to Overturn Election for Trump.” Law and Crime. March 7, 2022. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/advocacy-group-files-wave-of-ethics-complaints-against-jenna-ellis-and-other-big-lie-lawyers-who-tried-to-overturn-election-for-trump/.
- [1] Markay, Lachlan and Swan, Jonathan. “Scoop: High-powered group targets Trump lawyers’ livelihoods.” Axios. March 7, 2022. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.axios.com/trump-election-lawyers-disbar-5c2b9252-d15d-495f-a759-2446d9fa62e8.html.