In the latest edition of Yeomans Work, AFJ Senior Justice Fellow Bill Yeomans writes that President Trump’s latest nominee to be attorney general, William Barr, escaped strict scrutiny at his confirmation hearing.
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: As AG, Barr Would Be Another Trump Enabler
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.
AFJ in the News
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This Is What Democracy Looks Like: Five Lessons for Nonprofit Advocacy
Policy advocacy is a well-trodden path in the nonprofit world. Using low or no cost tools from organizations like Bolder Advocacy, we learned that nonprofits can spend up to 20 percent of their budget on lobbying by filing a single form with the IRS.
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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.
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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The Judiciary Committee Whiffs
William Barr’s testimony did not surprise. He is experienced, smart, and a committed proponent of virtually unlimited presidential power. While he sought to reassure critics by professing the importance of allowing Special Counsel Robert Mueller to complete his investigation and promising to be as transparent as the law allows when Mueller is done, he failed to commit on two of the largest issues facing his nomination: recusal from the Mueller probe and public release of Mueller’s findings.
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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.
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.
