As an attorney for 45 years who is proud of his profession, it hurts me deeply to see the hypocritical abuses of the Department of Justice by the Trump administration.

Career prosecutor Denise Cheung recent resigned from the DOJ when ordered to freeze environmental contractor accounts funded under Biden. Such an action is an unconstitutional seizure under the Fourth Amendment and as such, illegal unless there is probable cause to believe the contractor has committed a crime, which Cheung found no evidence of.

SDNY prosecutor Danielle Sassoon also recently resigned rather than comply with an unethical order of Attorney General Pam Bondi to dismiss bribery and corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams in exchange for his assistance with Trump’s deportation rampage. So far seven DOJ prosecutors have resigned rather than commit illegal or unethical actions ordered by the Trump administration.

Advice to ignore court orders is also unconstitutional and illegal.

Eventually, like Nixon in his Saturday Night Massacre of Oct. 20, 1973, Trump will find unethical and cowardly, sycophant and acolyte attorneys to do his bidding. When he does, I suggest their conduct be reviewed by their respective bar associations for suspension or disbarment for violating the law and/or their oath to uphold the Constitution.

All attorneys, even those practicing in the federal courts, must be licensed and in good standing with at least one state bar association to practice law. This is a way to curb the abuses of the Trump DOJ.

— Al Lenzi, Chico

Editor’s note: Every Sunday, we will select one letter from the previous seven days as our “Letter of the Week.” We’re choosing the letter that, in our view, stands as the best example of civil, thoughtful and fact-based commentary with extra points given on occasion for originality.