WASHINGTON, DC, April 1, 2020 – Today the Alliance for Justice Action Campaign (AFJAC) launched a new State Courts Matter project that builds on its history of advocating for fair, qualified, impartial federal judges. State courts decide over 95% of cases in the country and, in many states, voters elect supreme court judges directly.

AFJAC is launching the project today with a five-figure digital ad campaign supporting progressive candidate Jill Karofsky for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The ad features Wisconsinite Bradley Whitford, an actor known for his roles on The West Wing, The Handmaid’s Tale, and in the film Get Out. Karofsky is running against Justice Daniel Kelly, a Scott Walker appointee and Trump endorsee who describes himself as a judicial conservative, and who once wrote that slavery and affirmative action are morally the same. His background is riddled with rulings favoring his partisan political supporters and donors at the expense of everybody else.

“Our state courts are the final word for millions of people seeking access to affordable high-quality healthcare, rights for women, workers and consumers, protections from abuses of corporate power, access to fair elections, and protections for the rights of all of us, not just the wealthy and powerful,” Whitford says in the ad. “As a former trial court judge, Jill Karofsky has demonstrated her commitment to justice for all. She understands the courts’ impact on the people of Wisconsin.”

View the ad here.

Alliance for Justice Action Campaign President Nan Aron issued the following statement:

“It’s essential that the Alliance for Justice Action Campaign continue to expand our advocacy for fair-minded judges to include the state courts. The president and Mitch McConnell have been busy rigging the federal courts with ideologues committed to rolling back our rights, making state courts an even more critical battleground in the fight to protect our democracy. We’ve seen state supreme courts rule on pivotal issues like education funding, patients’ rights, congressional redistricting, workers’ rights, LGBTQ equality, and reproductive freedom. The people of Wisconsin and every other state deserve judges that will stand up for the laws that protect them, not judges who will follow a partisan agenda to dismantle them.”

Click here to learn more about why state courts matter.

WASHINGTON, DC, March 23, 2020 – Ten years ago today, President Obama signed the landmark Affordable Care Act into law. A decade later, we are facing a global pandemic that proves we need its protections for health care now more than ever. The ACA has expanded health care access to millions across the country, including protections for the 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, resulting in a massive drop in the uninsured rate.

Despite these critical gains in coverage and a growing need to protect the uninsured in the face of what might be record rates of hospitalizations and deaths, Republicans continue to challenge the law in court. Just this weekend, President Trump shockingly doubled down on his support for the lawsuit that would completely overturn the ACA. Trump and Senate Republicans have likewise continued to pack the federal courts with judges committed to dismantling the law. As Trump promised, “My judicial appointments will do the right thing, unlike Bush’s appointee John Roberts, on Obamacare.”

Marking the Affordable Care Act’s anniversary, Alliance for Justice Action Campaign President Nan Aron issued the following statement:

“The president has recommitted his administration to stripping access to health care away from millions of people, including terminating protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Alliance for Justice has been sounding the alarm about his eagerness to appoint judges and justices who would dismantle the Affordable Care Act and who have little concern for the consequences of doing so. Senate Republicans — including several seeking reelection this fall — have been all too eager to confirm these anti-ACA judges while shamelessly feigning concern for maintaining their constituents’ access to health care.

“The coronavirus crisis is straining the limits of our health care system while we all make sacrifices to protect our most vulnerable friends, family members, and neighbors. Now, more than ever, we need to strengthen health care protections, not dismantle them. Imagine how much worse it would be if millions more people had no coverage. Unless Trump and Republicans drop their lawsuit and stop confirming judges committed to dismantling the ACA, that’s the future we are inevitably careening toward.”

Additional information about Trump’s anti-health care judges may be found below:

• Senate Republicans facing reelection challenges refuse to comment on the anti-ACA lawsuit. Read Nan Aron’s response.
• Despite their claims to support access to health care, Senate Republicans have repeatedly voted to confirm judges who have called for dismantling the ACA. Read more about their records.
• One of the most egregious nominees on health care was Chad Readler, who led the administration’s efforts to challenge the ACA before he was nominated to be a judge. Watch how several Senate Republicans spoke out about health care before taking a vote on his confirmation.
• Trump has made a point of nominating judges with anti-ACA records. Check out an overview of all of these nominees.
• Dig deeper into the most egregious records of these nominees, such as Brett Kavanaugh, Chad Readler, and Justin Walker.

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 19, 2019 – Following the Democratic primary debate Thursday night, Alliance for Justice Action Campaign President Nan Aron issued the following statement:

“It is critical that voters understand the way President Trump and Senate Republicans have completely reshaped the courts, appointing ultraconservative and unqualified judges to fulfill their extreme agenda. We applaud the debate’s moderators for bringing up this important topic. Senator Amy Klobuchar insisted that vacancies on the federal bench should be filled “right away,” and we couldn’t agree more. The next president must act immediately to start undoing the damage by appointing judges who are prepared to uphold the rule of law.

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 20, 2019 – The Senate has confirmed many of President Trump’s judicial nominees, including those who are extreme ideologues and unqualified jurists. In advance of tonight’s Democratic primary debate, Alliance for Justice Action Campaign President Nan Aron released the following statement:

“We have seen Senate Republicans repeatedly rubber-stamp Trump’s judicial nominees, even when they have no experience in the courtroom or when they have extreme beliefs that would turn back the clock on the rule of law. Last month, they confirmed Justin Walker to preside over a courtroom despite having barely stepped foot in one before. Then last week they confirmed extremist Steven Menashi over the objections of tens of thousands of teachers, students, workers, civil rights advocates, and consumers.

“We need the Democratic candidates to talk about the courts, including both the Supreme Court and other federal courts. Americans of every stripe are directly impacted by the rulings of these lower courts, and we must prepare to reverse the damage Trump has done to the judiciary. That means recognizing the importance of winning back the Senate and nominating district court and circuit court judges who are both competent and prepared to uphold the Constitution — rather than try to bend the Constitution to their will.”

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 16, 2019 – Following the discussion at Tuesday night’s Democratic debate about how to protect reproductive freedom through the courts, Alliance for Justice Action Campaign President Nan Aron released the following statement:

“It’s refreshing to hear presidential candidates express their desire to stand up for judges who will protect the rights guaranteed in our Constitution rather than turn the clock back on reproductive freedom. We must fight vigorously for judicial nominees who will not only uphold a constitutional right to an abortion, but who also understand the consequences that draconian anti-choice laws cause in people’s lives. As several candidates pointed out, we must likewise repeal the Hyde amendment so that there are no obstacles for individuals to make decisions about their own bodies. Nominees who oppose reproductive freedom must not be handed lifetime appointments on the federal bench.”

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 15, 2019 – As the impeachment inquiry dominates the nation’s attention, the Democratic candidates are gathering for another presidential debate. In advance of tonight’s event, Alliance for Justice Action Campaign President Nan Aron released the following statement:

“As we saw last week when a Trump-appointed appeals court judge showed her allegiance by trying to shield him from a House investigation, the president’s role in selecting judges is critical to preserving the rule of law. We have not heard enough from the candidates about how they will prioritize judicial appointments should they be elected. With the quakes of the impeachment inquiry rocking our democracy daily, the role judges play in shoring up that foundation must be front and center. Tonight is the perfect opportunity for the candidates to commit to appointing judges who will first-and-foremost preserve civil rights and critical constitutional principles.”

Washington, D.C., September 12, 2019 – With the third presidential primary debates of the 2020 election set to take place among Democratic candidates September 12, Alliance for Justice Action Campaign is calling on candidates to tell voters how they plan to address one of the Trump administration’s most damaging legacies: Trump’s judges.  AFJ Action Campaign President Nan Aron released the following statement:

“This debate is a critical opportunity for the Democratic candidates to explain to voters how they’ll repair the damage Trump has inflicted on our courts and prioritize judicial nominees that will protect our rights against Republicans’ relentless attacks. From mobilizing opposition to Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to protesting Trump’s district and appellate court nominees, voters have made it clear that the courts are a motivating issue at the ballot box. For too long, Democrats have ceded the courts to the right, buying into the false narrative that the issue only energizes the conservative base. But Democrats can no longer afford to stay silent about Trump’s dangerous, ultraconservative judges who threaten our health care, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, civil rights, the rights of workers and consumers, and environmental protections. Voters deserve to hear the candidate’s plans to prioritize federal judicial nominations, the qualities they’ll be looking for in judicial nominees, and how they’ll ensure the federal judiciary reflects the demographic and professional diversity of our country.”

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 5, 2019 – Following Sen. Susan Collins’s (R-ME) announcement today that she will vote against the confirmation of Chad Readler to a seat on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, AFJAC President Nan Aron released the following statement:

“Today Senator Susan Collins announced she will vote against confirming Chad Readler to the federal bench. This is the only reasonable choice for Sen. Collins, because Readler has helped lead the Trump Administration’s efforts to destroy health care protections for preexisting conditions. Now other Republican senators face a test: will they stand with the millions of Americans who have preexisting conditions, or will they vote to confirm Chad Readler? As Sen. Collins made clear, they can’t do both — and their voters won’t forget which decision they make.”

In early February, Alliance for Justice Action Campaign launched a five-figure digital ad campaign featuring videos of Republican senators, including Collins, stating that they support health care coverage for persons with preexisting conditions. The ads called on these senators to stand by their words and vote no on Readler. The other senators featured in the campaign were Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Cory Gardner (R-CO).

See the campaign announcement and videos here.

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 11, 2019 – The Alliance for Justice Action Campaign has launched a series of digital ads featuring senators’ own words in favor of preserving health care for preexisting conditions — and tying them to an upcoming confirmation vote on Sixth Circuit judicial nominee Chad Readler. As a Justice Department official, Readler has led the Trump Administration’s effort to declare Affordable Care Act coverage for preexisting conditions unconstitutional.  Readler’s efforts pose a critical threat to health care for more than 50 million Americans with preexisting conditions.  Senators who claim to support coverage for people with preexisting conditions can’t cast a vote to confirm Readler without undermining their own positions.

The new AFJ Action Campaign ads feature audio and video of Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Cory Gardner (R-Colorado) stating their support for protecting health care coverage for people with preexisting conditions.  The ads call on these senators to stand by their words and Vote No on the confirmation of Chad Readler.  The ads are targeted to voters in these states, urging them to call their senators and tell them to reject Readler for the federal bench.

“These senators have a very simple decision to make,” said AFJ Action Campaign President Nan Aron. “Will they stand by their pledge to protect constituents with preexisting conditions, or will they bend to political pressure and vote to confirm Chad Readler, a person who has led the Trump Administration’s charge against these protections?  If these senators really care about Americans with preexisting conditions, they have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.”

The videos can be seen here:

Susan Collins

Thom Tillis

Lisa Murkowski

Cory Gardner

WASHINGTON, DC November 23, 2018 – Alliance for Justice Action Campaign President Nan Aron released the following statement supporting Rep. Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House of Representatives:

“This is a critical time for the incoming House majority and for the next Congress, and we believe it’s essential that Democrats be led by an individual who has a rock-solid record of effective leadership and accomplishment. Right now the person with the best credentials for that role is Leader Pelosi, who has already shown herself capable of tremendous achievement as Speaker in the past. At this moment experience counts, and Leader Pelosi has that experience.”

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 1, 2018 – Alliance for Justice Action Campaign is excited to announce that it has been chosen by CREDO Mobile to be an August grant recipient. This selection recognizes AFJAC’s work and leadership as a progressive nonprofit, and we are honored to have this opportunity. Each month, CREDO Mobile dedicates a portion of their revenue—roughly $150,000—and holds an online vote to divide the funds among three progressive nonprofits. The amount that AFJAC receives will depend on how many votes the organization gets.

Grant funds from CREDO will be used to help AFJAC lead the fight against the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh’s ultraconservative record of hostility to civil rights, women’s rights, workers’ rights, immigrants’ rights and environmental protection is a clear threat to millions of people in the United States. AFJAC is mobilizing communities; activating our networks of influential leaders, progressive constituencies, and broad base of supporters; and taking to the digital airwaves to drive calls to senators, urging them to oppose Kavanaugh.

Online voting takes place here starting today, August 1, and continuing through August 31.