Trump Taps Conservative Boutique to Fight Biden-Harris Transfer

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign turned to a trusted conservative boutique to oppose a shift of funds to Vice President Kamala Harris.

The Dhillon Law Group, which represented Tucker Carlson in litigation last year, is telling the Federal Election Commission that President Joe Biden’s transfer of campaign cash to Harris is illegal.

David Warrington, an Alexandria, Virginia-based partner at the law firm who also serves as general counsel for Trump’s campaign, filed the complaint Tuesday. Harmeet Dhillon, a San Francisco litigator, formed her namesake boutique in 2004 after working at four Big Law firms.

Dhillon said in an email her firm has been the primary outside counsel to the Trump campaign “for well over a year now.” Jones Day, which had previously held that role, said last year it would no longer advise Trump.

Harris has quickly emerged as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee since Biden stepped off the ticket and endorsed her July 21. She has swept up endorsements from influential Democrats and collected the delegate support she’ll need to formally accept the nomination next month.

Biden’s transfer of his $96 million campaign war chest to Harris, if allowed to stand, would be a significant boost to her campaign, which has already separately raised more than $100 million.

The FEC complaint may not be the lone legal maneuver levied against Harris’ new presidential bid. The Heritage Foundation warned in a June 21 memo of potential pre-election litigation that could prevent Biden from formally leaving the ballot in certain states.

Dhillon’s boutique is known for taking on politically conservative causes. The firm received nearly $6.4 million from the Trump campaign in the period between Jan. 1, 2023 and May 31 of this year, FEC filings show. Dhillon said Warrington, a litigator who heads her firm’s political law practice, is serving as the lead lawyer on the Trump representation.

Former Fox News host Carlson retained Harmeet Dhillon last year to represent him in a gender discrimination lawsuit filed against the network. Dhillon and Warrington were part of a team of lawyers that advised Trump earlier this year in unsuccessful efforts to have him removed from the ballot in some states.

Dhillon’s firm has also represented Trump in litigation related to the Capitol riot that took place on Jan. 6, 2021. Dhillon reportedly was once a candidate to lead the US Justice Department’s civil division during the Trump administration.

Washington’s Compass Legal Group, a firm formed in 2021 by former Trump administration lawyer Scott Gast, also received nearly $245,000 from the Trump campaign between Jan. 1, 2023 and May 31 of this year, FEC records show. Another firm led by election law expert Gineen Bresso was paid $242,500.