President Barack Obama has ended six years of American torture of suspected terrorists arising from the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks. The torture was originally outlined and sanctioned in 2002 by a series of memos drafted by lawyers in the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel. Were these lawyers simply giving the President their best legal advice? Or was their work part of a larger conspiracy to distort the law and authorize torture? Attorney General Eric Holder must uphold the Constitution and the law by releasing the OPR report and authorizing a full investigation of those who ordered, designed, and justified torture.

In a sweeping decision on January 28, 2010, the five conservative justices on the Supreme Court have fundamentally changed the rules of the game when it comes to our nation’s elections. In this abrupt break from the past, the Roberts court bent over backwards to rehear this argument in order to reach a broad decision that overturns key campaign finance precedents and creates a major constitutional shift in campaign finance law.

The U.S. Supreme Court, at the urging of giant drug companies, has been moving toward a radical new legal theory that takes away the traditional right of Americans to hold manufacturers accountable for health and safety damage caused by unsafe products. Alliance for Justice is helping to lead a coalition in support of legislation in the new Congress to protect consumer safety.

Family and medical leave.  A living wage.  Clean air.  Keeping your medical records private.  The right to live together as a family.  In addition to high-profile issues like choice and civil rights, the federal courts decide issues that impact the most basic features of our daily lives. The U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals and the District Courts all exercise tremendous influence over the everyday lives of Americans.

The Nonprofit Advocacy Project and Foundation Advocacy Initiative are premised on the belief that nonprofit organizations have a unique and necessary role to play in the process of generating and supporting sound, effective, and just public policy. In the case of issues such as environmental protection, healthcare, immigration, reproductive freedom, civil rights, consumer rights, workers’ rights and others, nonprofit organizations are often the only voices standing up for the public interest against well-funded corporate special interests.

Send Alliance for Justice messages via our many social networking sites, read and comment on AFJ’s blogs and help spread the word about our work.  AFJ President Nan Aron is on twitter and facebook, connecting with people across the country about issues of social justice and keeping activists informed about news and upcoming events in their area.