This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here.Welcome to The Logoff: Today Im focusing on powerful private institutions caving to Donald Trumps demands and a law firm demonstrating another way forward. Whats the latest? Donald Trump took back an executive order attacking Paul, Weiss one of the countrys largest law firms after it agreed to do $40 million worth of free legal work on causes favored by the Trump administration. Trumps order had pulled the firms security clearances and tried to terminate its federal contracts because it had sued January 6 rioters and because a former partner had worked on a Trump prosecution case. Is this normal? No but it is part of a trend of powerful private sector institutions bowing to Trumps threats to their business. Columbia University just gave in to Trumps demands after he threatened $400 million in federal funding. And colleges across the country are taking similar steps to protect their own funding. What other choice do they have? To fight. Perkins Coie, another firm whose security clearances Trump targeted, sued. And, last week, a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration from enforcing Trumps order, finding it likely violates the firms First, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment rights. (In response, the Trump administration today tried to get the judge kicked off the case.) Whats the big picture? These are powerful institutions with vast resources. Yes, theyre still less powerful than the federal government, and yes, they have plenty to lose. (The Times reports that Paul, Weiss considered its own legal challenge but deemed the financial risk too high.) But we all have even more to lose if the rule of law is replaced by a system in which the president can use the federal government to pursue personal vendettas and enforce compliance with his agenda.And with that, its time to log off... I really enjoyed this (very short) piece about a Dutch initiative that helps people enjoy something soothing online in this case, watching fish swim and also engage in a small act of environmentalism. You can read about the fish doorbell here. Thanks for all the book recommendations, and Ill see you back here on Monday. Have a good weekend!See More: