Introduction Citizens United vs. FEC, handed down by the Supreme Court on January 21, 2010, has proven to be one of the most consequential decisions in our country’s recent history. This case and those that are related have unleashed a torrent of spending on our elections, including… Read More
Eight Advocacy Groups Host “We The People 2020: Protecting Our Democracy a Decade After Citizens United” Forum; HuffPost to Moderate Des Moines, Iowa – Top presidential candidates will speak at a forum to mark 10 years after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision… Read More
It’s been a grueling, action-packed year. Along with a dedicated team of coalition partners and progressive activists, we’ve experienced some upsetting losses in 2019 – but we’ve also scored some major wins. Thanks to what we accomplished this year, the progressive movement is well-poised to tackle 2020 with the fervor… Read More
Nearly three years into Donald Trump’s presidential term, it’s clear that his judicial nominations and confirmations are a key part of his agenda to undo decades of social progress that have expanded our collective rights, protections, opportunities and ability to thrive. Right now, nearly one out of four federal appellate… Read More
On October 15, President Trump nominated Lawrence VanDyke to be a United States judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Senate Judiciary Committee held VanDyke’s hearing on October 30 and has scheduled his committee vote for November 14. People For the American Way wrote to senators to express our opposition to the VanDyke nomination. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C.— People For the American Way today launched a new campaign page, resources and videos for its #VoteTheCourts2020 campaign, aimed at highlighting the importance of federal courts and federal judicial appointments in the 2020 elections. The campaign reflects the growing commitment among progressive activists to… Read More
The Supreme Court’s 2019-2020 term opens at a time of crisis for the Constitution and the rule of law. The president’s corruption and admitted unlawful acts have prompted the House of Representatives to formally initiate an impeachment investigation. Trump administration officials are engaged in a massive resistance campaign against any… Read More
On June 24, President Trump nominated Justin Walker to be a U.S. district court judge for the Western District of Kentucky. The Senate Judiciary Committee held Walker's hearing on July 31 and is expected to schedule his committee vote for the week of September 9. People For the American Way wrote to committee members to express our opposition to the Walker nomination. Read More
As we continue to mourn the losses suffered in Chicago, Dayton, and El Paso, People For the American Way and PFAW's African American Ministers in Action are committed to addressing the driving forces behind these tragedies. To that end, PFAW and AAMIA joined allied organizations on an August 23 letter urging Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., to address both white supremacy and gun violence as the Senate HELP Committee takes up school safety. Read More
Judge Gerald Tjoflat of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the powerful 11th Circuit, which covers Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, announced on August 13 that he will soon take senior status. The upcoming vacancy gives the Senate and the president an important opportunity to further shape the court. The… Read More
This post was originally published on Right Wing Watch. As Americans call on lawmakers to take action in response to the most recent spate of mass killings, it isn’t just the National Rifle Association and its bought-and-paid-for legislators standing in the way. It’s also a federal judiciary that is… Read More
After a wave of restrictive abortion bans were passed in the South and Midwest, several Democratic presidential candidates put their commitment to reproductive rights front and center in their campaign platforms. While Roe v. Wade makes clear that bans like these are unconstitutional, these latest anti-choice assaults are meant to… Read More
The Supreme Court term that ended in June 2019 demonstrated the profound influence of replacing Anthony Kennedy with Brett Kavanaugh. With the Court’s fair-minded constitutionalists—Justices Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan—in the minority, the ultra-conservatives are taking steps to cement their movement’s political power and reverse many of the… Read More
As a key swing state and possible early indicator for the direction of the 2020 election, Virginia has played an increasingly central role as battleground between progressive and conservative politics. In light of this dynamic, PFAW’s Next Up Victory Fund focused much of its efforts over the past several… Read More
Despite mass public outcry, the final domestic gag rule was released on March 4. Planned Parenthood and the American Medical Association and the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association are among those who have filed lawsuits to block the rule. As we await news, we are also monitoring Title X developments on Capitol Hill. PFAW and allied organizations wrote to House appropriators on March 5 and urged them to stand up to Trump's attacks and fund Title X. Read More
As health disparities continue to rise for systemically-oppressed communities, Congress must make a strong investment in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health program and support the health needs of American Indian/Native American populations by funding the CDC's Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country program. Read More
Floor votes are expected the week of June 3 on Trump judicial nominees Richard Hertling and Ryan Holte, both of whom are being considered for the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Both vacancies evince Trump's agenda to fill our courts with elitist judges who will reliably vote in favor of corporate interests. Hertling is also one of several Trump judges who've refused to state whether Brown v. Board was correctly decided. Neither he nor Holte should be confirmed. Read More
This May, 11 young, progressive candidates and Next Up endorsees won big in primary and special elections in New York, Pennsylvania, and Arizona. Among these notable wins is Korin Kirk’s re-election to the Binghamton School District Board of Education in Binghamton, New York on May 21. As a native of… Read More
Regular listeners of the podcast know that the importance of our federal courts is a topic we revisit regularly. And with the Right being clearer than ever about their goal to overturn Roe v. Wade and Trump’s judicial nominees refusing to affirm Brown v. Board of Education, the issue has… Read More
As we inch closer to the 2020 presidential election, it’s essential that Democratic presidential primary candidates focus on one of the most critical issues the next occupant of the White House will face: the need to confirm fair-minded judges to our federal courts. When speaking about their plans for… Read More