Case: United States v. Fox

1:26-cv-01658 | U.S. District Court for the District of District of Columbia

Filed Date: May 13, 2026

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding in progress

Case Summary

(This summary is temporary while we research the case further).The United States of America filed this complaint on May 13, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the District of Columbia's Office of Disciplinary Counsel, Board on Professional Responsibility, Court of Appeals, and related officials. The suit arose from disciplinary proceedings against a former Assistant Attorney General who has been accused of attempting to pressure Georgia officials to investigat…

(This summary is temporary while we research the case further).The United States of America filed this complaint on May 13, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the District of Columbia's Office of Disciplinary Counsel, Board on Professional Responsibility, Court of Appeals, and related officials. The suit arose from disciplinary proceedings against a former Assistant Attorney General who has been accused of attempting to pressure Georgia officials to investigate false claims of election fraud and reconvene the state legislature to alter the election outcome in 2020. 

The proceedings were based on a draft letter — marked pre-decisional, deliberative, and for internal use only — that the former AAG prepared and advocated internally for sending to Georgia state officials. The draft letter was never sent, and acting leadership at the Department of Justice (DOJ) rejected his recommendation. The DOJ nonetheless faced a specification of charges filed against the former AAG on June 29, 2022, ultimately resulting in a Board recommendation for disbarment. The United States asserted three causes of action: unlawful regulation of the Federal Government in violation of the Supremacy Clause, unlawful discrimination against Federal Government attorneys compared to non-government attorneys, and interference with core Article II executive authority through state-level disciplinary proceedings targeting internal Executive Branch deliberations. The United States sought declaratory and injunctive relief voiding all findings against Mr. Clark and prohibiting further disciplinary proceedings based on his conduct as a government attorney, along with costs and fees.⁷

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73338949/parties/united-states-v-fox/


Judge(s)

Leon, Richard J. (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Donnelly, Matthew (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant

Foster, Sydney (District of Columbia)

Reich, Mitchell (District of Columbia)

Risher, Conrad Z. (District of Columbia)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
1

1:26-cv-01658

Complaint

May 13, 2026

May 13, 2026

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73338949/united-states-v-fox/

Last updated June 22, 2026, 12:24 p.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against All Defendants (Fee Status:Filing Fee Waived) filed by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. (Attachments: # 1 Summons, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons, # 5 Summons, # 6 Summons, # 7 Summons, # 8 Summons, # 9 Summons, # 10 Summons, # 11 Civil Cover Sheet)(Woodward, Stanley) (Attachment 11 replaced on 5/14/2026) (gsk). (Entered: 05/13/2026)

1 Summons

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2 Summons

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3 Summons

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4 Summons

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5 Summons

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6 Summons

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7 Summons

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8 Summons

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9 Summons

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10 Summons

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11 Civil Cover Sheet

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May 13, 2026

May 13, 2026

Clearinghouse
2

SUMMONS (10) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, District of Columbia Attorney General, and the District of Columbia Mayor. (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(gsk) (Entered: 05/14/2026)

1 Notice and Consent

View on RECAP

May 14, 2026

May 14, 2026

RECAP

Case Assigned/Reassigned

May 14, 2026

May 14, 2026

Case Assigned to Judge Richard J. Leon. (gsk)

May 14, 2026

May 14, 2026

3

NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew Donnelly on behalf of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Donnelly, Matthew) (Entered: 06/04/2026)

June 4, 2026

June 4, 2026

RECAP
4

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the District of Columbia Attorney General. Date of Service Upon District of Columbia Attorney General 5/28/2026. Answer due for ALL D.C. DEFENDANTS by 6/18/2026. (Donnelly, Matthew) (Entered: 06/04/2026)

June 4, 2026

June 4, 2026

5

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. HAMILTON P. FOX, III served on 5/21/2026 (Donnelly, Matthew) (Entered: 06/04/2026)

June 4, 2026

June 4, 2026

6

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. THEODORE METZLER served on 5/27/2026 (Donnelly, Matthew) (Entered: 06/04/2026)

June 4, 2026

June 4, 2026

7

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. D.C. OFFICE OF DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL served on 5/21/2026 (Donnelly, Matthew) (Entered: 06/04/2026)

June 4, 2026

June 4, 2026

8

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. ROBERT L. WALKER served on 5/21/2026 (Donnelly, Matthew) (Entered: 06/04/2026)

June 4, 2026

June 4, 2026

9

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. D.C. BOARD ON PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY served on 5/21/2026 (Donnelly, Matthew) (Entered: 06/04/2026)

June 4, 2026

June 4, 2026

10

Consent MOTION for Briefing Schedule by ANNA BLACKBURNE-RIGSBY, D.C. COURT OF APPEALS, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Risher, Conrad) (Entered: 06/04/2026)

1 Text of Proposed Order

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June 4, 2026

June 4, 2026

RECAP
11

NOTICE of Appearance by Mitchell Reich on behalf of ANNA BLACKBURNE-RIGSBY, D.C. COURT OF APPEALS, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (Reich, Mitchell) (Entered: 06/04/2026)

June 4, 2026

June 4, 2026

12

NOTICE of Appearance by Adam J. Tuetken on behalf of ANNA BLACKBURNE-RIGSBY, D.C. COURT OF APPEALS, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (Tuetken, Adam) (Entered: 06/04/2026)

June 4, 2026

June 4, 2026

13

NOTICE of Appearance by Sydney Foster on behalf of D.C. OFFICE OF DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL, HAMILTON P. FOX, III, THEODORE METZLER (Foster, Sydney) (Entered: 06/05/2026)

June 5, 2026

June 5, 2026

Order on Motion for Briefing Schedule AND Set/Reset Deadlines

June 11, 2026

June 11, 2026

MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of defendants' 10 Consent Motion to Set Briefing Schedule, it is hereby ORDERED that the motion is GRANTED. Defendants shall file any motions to dismiss by July 10, 2026. Plaintiff shall file its opposition to defendants' motions by August 17, 2026. Defendants shall file any replies by September 10, 2026. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Richard J. Leon on 6/11/2026. (lcrjl3)

June 11, 2026

June 11, 2026

Case Details

State / Territory:

District of Columbia

Case Type(s):

Election/Voting Rights

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Litigation and Investigations By the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: May 13, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Case Details

Other Dockets:

District of District of Columbia 1:26-cv-01658

Recommended Citation