Filed Date: April 9, 2025
Case Ongoing
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This lawsuit challenges congressional action taken against Northwestern University.
On April 9, 2025, the plaintiffs – two clinical professors of law at Northwestern University – filed suit against three government defendants – the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Workforce, and two U.S. House Member in their capacity as Committee Chair and Subcommittee Chair respectively – and three nominal defendants – Northwestern University, the President of Northwestern University, and the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Northwestern University.
The Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law runs the Bluhm Legal Clinic, a legal services organization which houses twenty different clinical programs and provide pro bono legal services to clients on a range of matters, from appellate advocacy, housing and tenant issues, and environmental advocacy. Plaintiffs set forth the following facts in their complaint: Plaintiffs are clinical professors of law at the Community Justice and Civil Rights Clinic and the Center on Negotiation, Mediation, and Restorative Justice, respectively.
Plaintiffs noted that in 2024, amidst student protests over the war in Gaza, Northwestern University reached an agreement with student protestors, wherein students agreed to remove their protest encampment in exchange for the promise of the continuation of peaceful protests. In the same year, the Committee on Education and Workforce, a standing committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, made multiple requests for information from Northwestern relating to the protests.
Plaintiffs’ complaint further alleged that after the Trump administration took office in January 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14188 on January 29, which directed executive agencies to identify authorities under their jurisdictions to combat antisemitism. Consistent with that Executive Order, the Department of Justice established a joint task force to combat “antisemitic acts of terrorism and civil rights violations,” and opened investigations into Northwestern and four other universities. The House Committee demanded more information from Northwestern in March 2025: Noting that Northwestern had provided free legal representation to the organizers of an anti-Israeli highway blockage protest, the Committee demanded several categories of documents relating to clinical work done at Northwestern Law, including all written policies and guidance relating to legal clinics; a detailed budget for the Bluhm Legal Clinic; and all hiring and performance reviews for one of the plaintiffs.
Plaintiffs challenged the demands, by making the following claims: (1) Defendants’ actions violated plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights to advocate on behalf of clients, and constituted viewpoint-based discrimination with no legitimate legislative purpose. (2) Defendants violated plaintiffs’ due process rights under the Fifth Amendment, by failing to provide adequate process before interfering with plaintiffs’ right to represent their clients. (3) Defendants interfered with the Sixth Amendment’s right to counsel requirement, a constitutional claim which plaintiffs had prudential, third-party standing to bring on behalf of their clients. (4) Defendants violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fifth Amendment, as the investigation reflected a “bare desire to harm Plaintiffs” for their political affiliations.
Plaintiffs requested declaratory and injunctive relief, to declare the demand for information unconstitutional and enjoin the nominal defendants from producing any documents responsive to the Committee request.
The case was assigned to the Honorable Elaine E. Bucklo.
On April 9, 2025, the plaintiffs filed a motion for an emergency temporary restraining order. As the Committee on Education and Workforce had issued a demand for information from Northwestern University, plaintiffs requested that the court issue an order to stay the Committee’s demand and prevent the university from complying by April 10. Plaintiffs argued that the investigation was part of an ideological campaign by the White House to target non-ideologically aligned universities and institutions, and that the stated goal of combating antisemitism was merely pretextual for this politically-motivated attack. Plaintiffs further alleged that the clinical programs at Northwestern University would be harmed as a result of the Committee’s inquiry. Plaintiffs therefore urged the court to issue a temporary restraining order.
On April 9, 2025, plaintiff’s counsel submitted a declaration, noting that the plaintiffs’ motion for an emergency temporary restraining order had asked the court to act by April 10, but that did not allow time to provide notice to the Committee. Plaintiff’s counsel submitted in their declaration that they provided notice to counsel for the Committee and to Northwestern University.
The committee then withdrew its request. After the hearing on the request for a temporary restraining order, on April 10, 2025, the court ruled that there was no longer a need for emergency relief, and denied the motion without prejudice.
The case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Keren Yi (4/14/2025)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69866562/parties/bedi-v-the-united-states-house-of-representatives-committee-on-education/
Bucklo, Elaine E. (Illinois)
Art, Steven Edwards (Illinois)
Azmy, Baher (Illinois)
Chanen, Stuart Jay (Illinois)
Berry, Matthew B. (Illinois)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69866562/bedi-v-the-united-states-house-of-representatives-committee-on-education/
Last updated Aug. 4, 2025, 5:26 a.m.
State / Territory: Illinois
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: April 9, 2025
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
plaintiffs are two Clinical Professors of Law who teach at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Workforce, Federal
Committee Chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Workforce, Federal
Northwestern University (Chicago), Private Entity/Person
President of Northwestern University (Chicago), Private Entity/Person
Chair of the Board of Trustees of Northwestern University (Chicago), Private Entity/Person
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.: