William Michael Cunningham Files Emergency Motion to Restrain Attorney General Pam Bondi

WASHINGTON - April 2, 2025 - PRLog -- Public interest economist William Michael Cunningham has filed an emergency motion for a Temporary Restraining Order against U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (Case No. 25-1093). Cunningham seeks to prevent Bondi from taking retaliatory actions against him related to his litigation, which challenges current Trump administration conduct.

Cunningham claims this retaliation stems from a March 21, 2025, presidential directive instructing the Attorney General to target attorneys and law firms—along with pro se litigants—who bring lawsuits against the Trump administration. The motion cites this directive as an unprecedented violation of constitutional protections, specifically the First and Fifth Amendments, and asserts that Bondi's compliance undermines both the right to petition the government and the ethical obligations of legal professionals under Rule 3.1 of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct and Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11.

"This is about the survival of constitutional governance," said Cunningham. "The ability to challenge government wrongdoing must never be chilled by intimidation or retaliation—especially from those sworn to uphold the law."

Cunningham connects this situation to a broader, longstanding pattern of institutional failure. He points to warnings he issued as early as 1998 regarding financial malfeasance and declining ethical standards—warnings he says went unheeded and ultimately culminated in the 2008 financial crisis, which caused $19.2 trillion in damage. He argues that today's political and legal environment reflects the same systemic disregard, particularly toward concerns raised by marginalized individuals, including Black Americans and pro se litigants.

The motion asks the Court to:

Issue an immediate Temporary Restraining Order against Attorney General Pam Bondi;

Affirm Cunningham's constitutional rights;

Refer Bondi to disciplinary authorities for unethical and unconstitutional conduct;

Acknowledge the broader systemic failures that enabled this situation;

Provide any other relief necessary to preserve judicial integrity.

"This case is not just about me," Cunningham emphasized. "It's about protecting the right of every citizen to speak truth to power without fear of reprisal."

A full copy of the emergency motion is available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kGboPY17lnP5JlB44LS7D4Z1...