{"id":2571649,"date":"2026-02-19T20:02:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T01:02:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-says-judge-overstepped-by-restoring-mark-zaids-security-clearance\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T20:05:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T01:05:17","slug":"doj-says-judge-overstepped-by-restoring-mark-zaids-security-clearance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-says-judge-overstepped-by-restoring-mark-zaids-security-clearance\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ says judge overstepped by restoring Mark Zaid\u2019s security clearance"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdoj-says-judge-overstepped-by-restoring-mark-zaids-security-clearance%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2571649&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Justice Department has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to overturn a district court\u2019s order that restored national security lawyer Mark Zaid\u2019s security clearance, arguing that decisions about access to classified data are within the executive branch and not subject to judicial review.<\/p>\n<p>In December, U.S. District Judge Amir A. Ali ordered the government to reinstate zaid\u2019s clearance, finding that the March memorandum revoking it appeared to be retaliation and did not provide a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >proper individualized national-security assessment<\/a>, violating due process and First Amendment rights. The DOJ contends that the president has broad authority over who may access sensitive material and that courts lack standards to evaluate such executive decisions; it also notes that no one has a legal entitlement to a security clearance.<\/p>\n<p>The appellate brief, filed by Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. and Deputy Associate Attorney General Abhishek Kambli, relies on long-standing Supreme Court precedent, including the 1988 decision in Department of the Navy v.Egan, to argue that Article II vests the president with control over classified information. Zaid, a longtime national-security attorney who has represented whistleblowers, is represented by Abbe Lowell in other matters. An oral argument in the appeal has not yet been scheduled.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Judge overstepped by ordering Mark Zaid&rsquo;s security clearance restored: DOJ<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2510710\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/page\/70\/\">Justice Department<\/a> this week asked a federal appeals court to reverse a district judge&rsquo;s order restoring national security lawyer <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2745757\/trump-whistleblower-lawyer-mark-zaid-should-be-sued-and-maybe-for-treason\/\">Mark Zaid<\/a>&rsquo;s security clearance, arguing the ruling improperly intruded on presidential authority over classified information.<\/p>\n<p>In a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.cadc.42773\/gov.uscourts.cadc.42773.01208822972.0.pdf\">brief filed Wednesday<\/a> with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\">Trump administration<\/a> argued that decisions about who may access sensitive national security material are constitutionally within the executive branch&rsquo;s purview and are not subject to judicial second-guessing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4463554\/8th-circuit-could-trump-win-mandatory-immigration-detention\/\">Eighth Circuit may give Trump another win on mandatory immigration detention<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4463436\/who-has-fallen-resigned-epstein-files\/\">Here&#8217;s who has fallen from the Epstein files<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4462407\/trump-doj-epstein-review-delays-lawfare-accountability\/\">Diversion of 500 lawyers to Epstein files delayed &#8216;accountability on lawfare,&#8217; top Trump ally says<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Department of Justice building is seen in Washington, Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo\/Jose Luis Magana, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;The Constitution commits the question whether to deny or revoke a security clearance to the Executive Branch,&rdquo; government lawyers wrote, arguing courts lack authority to review such determinations. &#65532;<\/p>\n<p>Zaid is a longtime national security attorney who has represented intelligence officials, federal employees, and whistleblowers in disputes with the government. He <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/liberal-activists-rebrand-sex-changes-as-gender-affirming-medical-care-to-bully-state-officials-into-allowing-the-mutilation-of-children\/\" title=\"Liberal Activists Rebrand Sex Changes As \u2018Gender-Affirming Medical Care\u2019 To Bully State Officials Into Allowing The Mutilation Of Children\">gained national prominence<\/a> for representing the whistleblower whose complaint about President Donald Trump&rsquo;s dealings with Ukraine helped trigger Trump&rsquo;s first impeachment, and he has continued to represent whistleblowers during Trump&rsquo;s second term.<\/p>\n<p>The dispute stems from a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/national-security\/3760888\/trump-gabbard-security-clearances-37-intelligence-officials\/\">March presidential memorandum<\/a> directing agencies to revoke the security clearance of Zaid and 36 others after Trump determined it was no longer in the national interest for them to access classified information. Federal agencies subsequently implemented that directive and cut off his access.<\/p>\n<p>Zaid had maintained a security clearance for more than two decades as part of his legal practice. In the midst of his first impeachment threat, Trump said at the time Zaid <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2745757\/trump-whistleblower-lawyer-mark-zaid-should-be-sued-and-maybe-for-treason\/\">&ldquo;should be sued and maybe for treason,&rdquo;<\/a> emphasizing the president&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-gates-ex-wife-says-he-betrayed-her-values-in-a-disturbing-way\/\" title=\"Bill Gates&#039; Ex-Wife Says He &#039;Betrayed&#039; Her Values in a &#039;Disturbing&#039; Way\">long-standing disapproval<\/a> of the lawyer.<\/p>\n<p>In December, U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, an appointee of former President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\">Joe Biden<\/a>, issued a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.dcd.280276\/gov.uscourts.dcd.280276.52.0_1.pdf\">preliminary injunction<\/a> ordering the government to restore Zaid&rsquo;s clearance. Ali found the administration acted in &ldquo;retribution&rdquo; and without providing the kind of individualized national security assessment typically used in clearance decisions, concluding Zaid was likely to succeed on constitutional claims tied to due process and free speech.<\/p>\n<p>The DOJ called Ali&rsquo;s decision an &ldquo;extraordinary order&rdquo; that overrode the president&rsquo;s judgment on national security matters. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The District Court rested its order on purported First Amendment, due process, and right-to-counsel violations by the President in rescinding Plaintiff&rsquo;s security clearance and rejected the government&rsquo;s argument that Plaintiff&rsquo;s challenge to the revocation of his security clearance is non-justiciable under <em>Egan<\/em>,&rdquo; government attorneys wrote, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oyez.org\/cases\/1987\/86-1552\">citing a 1988 Supreme Court decision<\/a> that held the Merit Systems Protection Board cannot review the merits of a security clearance revocation.<\/p>\n<p>The appellate brief was filed by Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr., a former personal attorney to Trump allies, and Deputy Associate Attorney General Abhishek Kambli.<\/p>\n<p>Relying on long-standing Supreme Court precedent, the administration argued Article II gives the president authority to control access to classified information and determine whether an individual is trustworthy enough to receive it. Courts, the brief says, lack standards to evaluate those predictive national security judgments, even when plaintiffs frame their challenges as constitutional claims.<\/p>\n<p>At the bottom of its filing, the government maintained that no one has a legal entitlement to a security clearance, which is granted at the executive&rsquo;s discretion to safeguard sensitive information.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4435531\/doj-seeks-pause-law-firm-executive-order-cases-pending-decision-mark-zaid-appeal\/\">DOJ SEEKS PAUSE IN LAW FIRM EXECUTIVE ORDER CASES, PENDING DECISION IN MARK ZAID APPEAL<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Zaid is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3786112\/trump-foes-longtime-washington-lawyer-abbe-lowell-defense\/\">represented<\/a> by Abbe Lowell, a veteran Washington attorney who&rsquo;s taken on a slew of cases since Trump&rsquo;s return last year. Some of those clients include New York Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/letitia-james\/\">Letitia James<\/a> in her now-dismissed mortgage fraud criminal case and former Trump national security adviser John Bolton in his case involving alleged willful retention and unlawful transmission of national defense information.<\/p>\n<p>An oral argument concerning the government&rsquo;s appeal has not yet been scheduled.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Justice Department has urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to overturn a district judge\u2019s order that restored Mark Zaid\u2019s security clearance, arguing the ruling improperly intrudes on presidential control of classified information. In the filing, the Trump administration contends that decisions about who can access sensitive national security material fall within the executive branch and should not be second-guessed by courts.<\/p>\n<p>Zaid is a veteran national security lawyer who has represented intelligence personnel, federal employees, and whistleblowers. He gained national attention for representing the whistleblower whose Ukraine-related complaint helped trigger Trump\u2019s first impeachment, and he has continued to handle whistleblower cases during Trump\u2019s second term.<\/p>\n<p>The dispute traces to a March presidential memorandum directing agencies to revoke Zaid\u2019s clearance, along with that of 36 others, a directive agencies carried out by cutting off his access. Zaid had held a security clearance for more than two decades. Trump had previously criticized him, even suggesting he should be sued or charged with treason.<\/p>\n<p>In December, U.S. District Judge Amir Ali issued a preliminary injunction ordering the government to restore Zaid\u2019s clearance, saying the administration acted in retaliation and without the kind of individualized national security review typical for clearance decisions. Ali also suggested Zaid was likely to succeed on constitutional claims related to due process and free speech. The DOJ called that order extraordinary for overruling the president\u2019s national security judgment.<\/p>\n<p>The government argued, citing longstanding Supreme Court precedent, that Article II gives the president authority to control access to classified information and to judge trustworthiness, and that courts lack standards to evaluate such predictive national security judgments\u2014even when framed as constitutional claims. The brief also maintained that no one has a legal entitlement to a security clearance, which is granted at the executive\u2019s discretion to protect sensitive information.<\/p>\n<p>The DOJ\u2019s brief was filed by Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. and Deputy Associate Attorney General Abhishek Kambli. Zaid is represented by Abbe Lowell, a veteran Washington attorney who has taken on cases for Trump allies; among his other clients are New York Attorney General Letitia James in a now-dismissed mortgage fraud case and former Trump national security adviser John Bolton. An oral argument has not yet been scheduled<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2571650,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26036454910491-e1770304104627.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[50410,7076,50433,74162,74163],"class_list":["post-2571649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-controversy-2","tag-doj","tag-judge-2","tag-mark-zaid","tag-security-clearance-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26036454910491-e1770304104627.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2571649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2571649"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2571649\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2571653,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2571649\/revisions\/2571653"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2571650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2571649"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2571649"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2571649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}