North Dakota Judge Says American Bar Association is Liberal

U.S. District Court Judge Dan Traynor. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – A North Dakota federal judge said he shares the Trump administration’s opinion that the American Bar Association is too left-wing.

Since President Donald Trump took office in January, the White House has revoked millions of dollars in federal funds for the association and sought to limit its status as a major regulator of the legal profession. Critics allege this is part of a larger effort by the administration to silence opposition, and to reduce transparency and accountability in government.

In a speech to State Bar Association of North Dakota members last week, U.S. District Court Judge Dan Traynor said while the merits of the White House’s actions are “certainly debatable,” he agrees that the association is politically slanted.

Traynor, a Trump appointee, claimed the American Bar Association has consistently taken a left-of-center stance on politically divisive issues despite being officially nonpartisan. The organization has supported gender-affirming health care for minors, abortion access and affirmative action, for instance.