The Alliance for Justice (AFJ) is a progressive judicial advocacy group in the United States.[4][5] Founded in 1979 by former president Nan Aron, AFJ monitors federal judicial appointments. AFJ represents a coalition of 100 politically liberal groups that have an interest in the federal judiciary.[6] The Alliance for Justice presents a modern liberal viewpoint on legal issues.[7]
 | |
| Abbreviation | AFJ |
|---|---|
| Formation | August 7, 1974[1] |
| Founder | Nan Aron[2] |
| Type | 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization |
| 52-1009973[3] | |
| Purpose | Legal advocacy |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Rakim Brooks[2] | |
| Paulette Meyer[2] | |
Revenue (2018) | $5,618,274[3] |
| Expenses (2018) | $5,699.201[3] |
| Employees | 47[3] (in 2018) |
Volunteers (2018) | 22[3] |
| Website | afj.org |
According to the organization, "AFJ works to ensure that the federal judiciary advances core constitutional values, preserves human rights and unfettered access to the courts, and adheres to the even-handed administration of justice for all Americans."[8]
Judicial advocacy
editAFJ launched the Judicial Selection Project in 1985 to monitor the federal judicial appointment system.[9] According to AFJ's founder, Nan Aron, the organization wanted to guard against the ideological impact of Ronald Reagan's federal judicial nominees.[10] AFJ objects to judicial nominees who oppose abortion or who promise to exercise judicial restraint.[5] The organization provides background on prospective nominees to the American Bar Association and the Senate Judiciary Committee.[5]
AFJ played a role in the defeat of Ronald Reagan nominee Robert Bork's nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1987.[11] In 2001, the organization supported the nomination of Roger Gregory, a Bill Clinton nominee and the first African-American judge in the Fourth Circuit in 2001.[12] In 2013, AFJ supported President Barack Obama's three nominees for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.[13]
Member organizations
editAFJ reports a membership of over 120 organizations. On its website, as of January 7, 2021, AFJ lists the following member groups:[14]
- Abortion Care Network
- Advancement Project
- Advocates for Youth
- AIDS United
- Alliance for Safe Traffic Stops
- Alliance for the Great Lakes
- Alliance for Youth Organizing
- Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund
- Americans United for Separation of Church and State
- Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
- Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
- Bend the Arc: Jewish Action
- Beneficial State Foundation
- Business and Professional People for the Public Interest
- California Women's Law Center
- Center for Biological Diversity
- Center for Constitutional Rights
- Center for Digital Democracy
- Center for Inquiry
- Center for Law and Social Policy
- Center for Reproductive Rights
- Center for Science in the Public Interest
- Children's Defense Fund
- Clearinghouse on Women's Issues
- Closing the Women's Wealth Gap
- Community Catalyst
- Community Partners
- Compassion & Choices
- Comprehensive Health Education Foundation
- Conservation Campaign
- Consumer Action
- Culture Project
- Dallas Women's Foundation
- Defending Rights & Dissent
- Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
- Dream Corps
- Drug Policy Alliance
- Earthjustice
- Equal Justice Society
- Equal Rights Advocates
- Equality Federation
- Every Child Matters
- Faith in Action Network
- Food Research & Action Center
- Forests Forever
- Free Press
- Friends of the Earth
- Great Plains Action Society
- Harmon, Curran, Spielberg & Eisenberg, LLP
- Houston in Action
- Human Rights Campaign Foundation
- International Center for Research on Women
- Jewish Social Justice Roundtable
- Jobs with Justice
- Justice in Aging
- Juvenile Law Center
- Lambda Legal
- Latino Community Foundation
- Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
- League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
- Legal Aid Association of California
- Legal Aid at Work
- Little Lobbyists
- Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy
- MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
- Methodist Healthcare Ministries
- Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
- Mi Familia Vota
- Muslim Advocates
- NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation
- National Abortion Federation
- National Association of Consumer Advocates
- National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- National Center for Law and Economic Justice
- National Center for Lesbian Rights
- National Center for Transgender Equality
- National Center for Youth Law
- National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy
- National Council of Jewish Women
- National Education Association
- National Employment Lawyers Association
- National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association
- National Immigration Forum
- National Immigration Law Center
- National Korean American Service & Education Consortium
- National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
- National Lawyers Guild
- National Legal Aid & Defender Association
- National LGBTQ Task Force
- National Parks Conservation Association
- National Partnership for Women and Families
- National Veterans Legal Services Program
- National Women's Law Center
- Native American Rights Fund
- Natural Resources Defense Council
- North Texas Dream Team
- Peak Grantmaking
- People's Action
- Planned Parenthood Federation of America
- PolicyLink
- Public Advocates
- RAICES
- Rockefeller Philanthropies Advisors
- Secular Coalition for America
- Secular Woman
- Service Employees International Union
- Shriver Center on Poverty Law
- SIECUS
- Sierra Club Foundation
- Southern California Grantmakers
- Southern Poverty Law Center
- States United to Prevent Gun Violence
- Texas Council on Family Violence
- Texas Women's Foundation
- The Arc
- The Climate Project
- The Impact Fund
- Tides Center
- Transgender Law Center
- UFW Foundation
- Violence Policy Center
- Younger Women's Task Force, Greater Lafayette Chapter
- YWCA
References
edit- ^ "ALLIANCE FOR JUSTICE - Initial File Number: 741885". Government of the District of Columbia]". Retrieved November 21, 2020.
- ^ a b c "[1]". Alliance for Justice. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". Alliance for Justice. Internal Revenue Service. December 31, 2018.
- ^ Boyer, Dave (June 6, 2016). "Elizabeth Warren lambastes Senate Republicans for 'obstruction' of judges". Washington Times. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
- ^ a b c Clarity, James; Weaver Jr., Warren (January 18, 1985). "Here Come the Judges". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- ^ Horwitz, Sari; Eilperin, Juliet (November 7, 2014). "Obama to nominate Justice prosecutor Lynch for attorney general". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- ^ E.g.,
- Savage, Charlie (April 4, 2017). "Strategic Debate in Gorsuch Battle: Use Filibuster Now or Later?". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
Nan Aron, the president of the liberal Alliance for Justice, supports filibustering Judge Gorsuch.
- Kindy, Kimberly (February 18, 2017). "Simply stated, Gorsuch is steadfast and surprising". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
Put more succinctly, Nan Aron of the liberal Alliance for Justice said, 'In spite of what the White House would like to have us believe, he's a dangerous choice.'
- Landler, Mark (February 13, 2016). "Battle Begins Over Naming Next Justice". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
Nan Aron, president of the liberal Alliance for Justice, said the Supreme Court should 'not become a casualty of the politics of destruction, denial and obstruction.'
- Becker, Jo (August 5, 2005). "In Private Practice, Roberts's Record Is Mixed". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
But Nan Aron of the liberal Alliance for Justice said that Roberts's involvement 'doesn't say anything about his judicial philosophy.'
- Nagourney, Adam (July 3, 2005). "Conservative Groups Rally Against Gonzales as Justice". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
'He would face stiff opposition from liberal groups,' said Nan Aron, president of the liberal legal group Alliance for Justice.
- Savage, Charlie (April 4, 2017). "Strategic Debate in Gorsuch Battle: Use Filibuster Now or Later?". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
- ^ "About AFJ". Alliance for Justice. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- ^ Steigerwalt, Amy (2010). Battle over the Bench: Senators, Interest Groups, and Lower Court Confirmations. University of Virginia Press. p. 11. ISBN 9780813929989.
- ^ Scherer, Nancy (2005). Scoring Points: Politicians, Activists, and the Lower Federal Court Appointment Process. Stanford University Press. p. 110. ISBN 9780804749497.
- ^ Greenhouse, Linda (December 4, 1987). "Supreme Court Nominations; After Bork, the Liberals' Silence On Judge Kennedy Is Deafening". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- ^ Savage, David (July 21, 2001). "Senate Confirms 3 of Bush's Judicial Nominees". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- ^ Eilperin, Juliet (May 28, 2013). "Obama to launch push to reshape D.C. Circuit with 3 simultaneous nominations". Washington Post. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- ^ "Member Organizations". Alliance For Justice. Retrieved 24 February 2015.