Judge refers Trump lawyer to bar, sparking ethics showdown over DOJ case

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams referred Trump attorney Alejandro Brito to the Florida Bar and forwarded her ruling to authorities reviewing disciplinary complaints involving Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, tied to a settlement shielding Trump and family from certain federal tax audits. The decision has stirred debate about bar associations’ power to sanction lawyers, with conservatives warning it could chill DOJ service and liberals arguing it could weaponize ethics rules in high-stakes cases.