House suit against Obama still in planning stage after second law firm reportedly stops work on case
President Barack Obama. Mykhaylo Palinchak / Shutterstock.com
A law firm hired to take over a planned lawsuit against President Barack Obama has reportedly stopped work on the case.
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan took on the GOP-backed suit for the U.S. House of Republicans in September when BakerHostetler withdrew from the case. Now Quinn Emanuel has stopped work on the suit and it remains unfiled, Politico reports in a story relying on anonymous sources. How Appealing, the Wall Street Journal Law Blog and the Atlantic noted the Politico story.
A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner wouldn’t comment on the relationship with Quinn Emanuel, but did tell Politico that the House may use its own lawyers for the case. The suit will allege Obama overstepped his powers by taking executive actions said to revise the health-care law, and could be expanded to the president’s actions in other matters, including immigration.
“The litigation remains on track,” said the spokesman, Kevin Smith, “but we are examining the possibility of forgoing outside counsel and handling the litigation directly through the House, rather than through law firms that are susceptible to political pressure from wealthy, Democratic-leaning clients.”
The lawyers at both firms were supposed to be paid $500 an hour. Sources told the Atlantic, however, that neither firm billed the House for any work.
The Wall Street Journal Law Blog contacted Quinn Emanuel, but a spokeswoman declined to comment.
