We are Maine lawyers who have served the people of Maine as attorneys general and counsel to the governor. We are deeply concerned about the administration’s recent attacks on the courts and law firms. Those attacks include calls for impeachment of judges who rule against the administration and attempts to silence law firms through executive orders preventing those firms from entering federal buildings or contracting with the government.

We write today to encourage all of us to stand up and oppose these attacks on the rule of law.

Under our system of justice, everyone, no matter how unpopular their cause may be, is entitled to their “day in court” and to be able to hire a lawyer who is not in fear of government retribution for simply doing his or her job.

Recently, we have watched in horror as law firms have become the subject of unprecedented executive orders denying these firms access to government buildings and/or government records, retribution for undertaking representations contrary to the president. For example, the executive order directed at WilmerHale states that it is being subjected to these draconian measures because of its pro bono practices and its employment of lawyers who allegedly “weaponize the prosecutorial power” — i.e., Robert Mueller, who was appointed as a special counsel by Republican Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Nearly 200 years ago, Abraham Lincoln recognized the danger of a would-be authoritarian emerging. He understood that the only defense against an authoritarian power grab was for the people to unite behind the rule of law:

“But, it may be asked, ‘Why suppose danger to our political institutions? Have we not preserved them for more than fifty years? And why may we not for fifty times as long?’

“That our government should have been maintained in its original form from its establishment until now is not much to be wondered at. It had many props to support it through that period, which now are decayed, and crumbled away. … It is to deny, what the history of the world tells us is true, to suppose that men of ambition and talents will not continue to spring up amongst us. And, when they do, they will as naturally seek the gratification of their ruling passion, as others have so done before them. … Many great and good men sufficiently qualified for any task they should undertake, may ever be found, whose ambition would inspire to nothing beyond a seat in Congress, a gubernatorial or a presidential chair; but such belong not to the family of the lion, or the tribe of the eagle.

“What! think you these places would satisfy an Alexander, a Caesar, or a Napoleon? — Never! Towering genius disdains a beaten path. …. Is it unreasonable then to expect, that some man possessed of the loftiest genius, coupled with ambition sufficient to push it to its utmost stretch, will at some time, spring up among us? And when such a one does, it will require the people to be united with each other, attached to the government and laws, and generally intelligent, to successfully frustrate his designs.”

We are now confronted with “such a one” and it is incumbent on all of us to oppose his efforts to destroy the rule of law. The purpose of attacking law firms is not simply to attack lawyers but rather to eliminate the one obstacle to installation of a Caesar, as Lincoln recognized.

We urge all Mainers to join us in opposing these attacks and in standing up for the rule of law.