William Barr did nothing today to allay fears that he would be an attorney general who would enable President Trump to continue his abuse of executive authority, while curtailing the civil and constitutional rights of Americans.
Our Work
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Judicial Nominees
Every day, federal judges protect the Constitution, place a check on overzealous legislatures, and help Americans find justice.
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Bolder Advocacy
Demystifying and decoding advocacy by equipping organizations with knowledge and tools.
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Access to Justice
Over the past several decades, a conservative-led campaign has eviscerated the ability of Americans to have their day in court.
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Supreme Court Cases
We fight to hold the court to the highest ethical standards, and we fight for a court that upholds the rights of everyday Americans.
Press Releases
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AFJ: Rao’s Writings Are Disqualifying
Neomi Rao’s views are completely disqualifying for someone seeking a lifetime seat on one of our nation’s highest courts. The Trump Administration in the past has tried, and failed, to ram through nominees with hostile writings and activities like this in their records.
AFJ in the News
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Chuck Grassley helped Trump redefine the judiciary. Now he will fend off demands to see president’s tax returns
More circuit court judges — 30 in all — have been confirmed by Grassley and Trump than by any other president during his first two years in office. There have been 53 district court judges, too, in addition to the two successful Supreme Court picks.
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DC Circuit nominee under fire for college writings on race, feminism, date rape
Federal appeals court nominee Neomi Rao wrote about how to avoid date rape (“stay reasonably sober”) and “touchy-feely talk of tolerance” in a series of controversial opinion articles published during and soon after her graduation from Yale University.
Blog
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Chad Readler’s Lack of Conscience
Like almost all Trump judicial nominees, Readler has a record of working to undermine constitutional rights and legal protections for all Americans. He has attacked voting rights and rights for women and LGBTQ Americans; worked to eliminate the right to public education in Ohio; defended attacks on immigrants; and sought to weaken protections for workers and consumers.
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Take Roberts Court Defense with a Grain of Salt
For those who have long been fed up with President Trump’s relentless attacks on judges and the justice system, recent days provided a seeming bright spot: the Chief Justice offered a rare pushback against the President. Chief Justice Roberts’s comments that there are no partisan “Obama judges” as the President alleged – nor “Bush judges,” “Clinton judges” or “Trump judges” – looked for all the world like Roberts was claiming some sort of moral high ground. Yet progressives should be very wary of the Chief Justice’s remarks.
Yeomans Work
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Senators: Avoid Softballs for Barr in Confirmation Questioning
William Barr will face the Senate Judiciary Committee next Tuesday in his quest to become attorney general for the second time. I argued previously that he is not the person for the job, based on his extreme views regarding executive power (including his role in the Iran/Contra pardons), his comments critical of the Mueller investigation, and his praise for the anti-civil rights, anti-immigrant, “tough on crime,” anti-police reform record of Jeff Sessions as attorney general.
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Don’t Forget the Third Branch
The incoming House Judiciary Committee majority will have to sort its way through a crushing load of weighty issues that were neglected by the outgoing majority. The docket will be filled by oversight of the Trump administration – but its focus on the executive branch should not drown out equally crucial efforts to rescue the Supreme Court from partisan corruption.
Featured Resource
Bolder Advocacy: “The Connection” New Edition Is Vital Guide for Nonprofits In Election Year
Alliance for Justice’s Bolder Advocacy program is excited to announce the fourth edition of “The Connection: Strategies for Creating and Operating 501(c)(3)s, 501(c)(4)s and Political Organizations,” its comprehensive guide for nonprofits that want to engage in assertive advocacy for their causes while staying in compliance with tax and campaign finance rules. This fourth edition of the guide is especially timely, as it sets out how 501(c)(4)s and political organizations can get involved in the upcoming midterm elections.
