The Dispute Index

L. Margaret Harker

L. Margaret Harker is senior litigation counsel at the New Civil Liberties Alliance. She previously worked as a federal prosecutor and trial attorney and as counsel for congressional investigations. She earned her undergraduate degree at Santa Clara University and her law degree at the University of Richmond. She clerked for U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson and Virginia Court of Appeals Judge Randolph A. Beales.

Also known as Margaret HarkerWebsite (opens in a new tab)

What DI has documented

DI has documented statements by L. Margaret Harker on Government Transparency, January 6 Attack, and Law Enforcement, among other topics. Read the quotations, original sources and related cases below.

Topics in this coverage

Statements by L. Margaret Harker

L. Margaret Harker

Role at the time: NCLA senior litigation counsel representing Marsha Blackburn

Condemned

Statement summary

Harker says Smith abused his authority and backs Blackburn's bid to hold him personally accountable.

“She filed it against Jack Smith in his personal capacity to seek accountability, not money”
Open the original interview (opens in a new tab)Margaret Harker discusses Blackburn's phone-records lawsuit1:02-2:38 and 3:11-3:55
Why we used this label

Harker criticizes Smith's exercise of authority and supports holding him accountable. This is opposition to the conduct at issue, not a defense of it.

Read statementWere members of Congress's phone records and text messages properly obtained in the Arctic Frost and Jack Smith investigations?

L. Margaret Harker

Role at the time: NCLA senior litigation counsel

Condemned

Statement summary

Harker argues that Smith's authority and seizure of Blackburn's records breached constitutional limits.

“a grave abuse of power”
Read the official statement (opens in a new tab)NCLA statements supporting Blackburn's legal challengeIndividually attributed statements by Blackburn, Harker, Moyna, Cleveland and Chenoweth.
Why we used this label

She condemns the collection as unconstitutional.

Read statementWere members of Congress's phone records and text messages properly obtained in the Arctic Frost and Jack Smith investigations?

A participant is a subject of the case. A speaker has a statement documented in it. A commentator has an opinion or editorial documented in it.