ACS Calls on Federalist Society to Join in Preventing Constitutional Crisis

CONTACT: Katherine Shek, kshek@acslaw.org

WASHINGTON, DC — On behalf of its thousands of members nationwide, the American Constitution Society calls on the Federalist Society and its members in a public letter to join in a united effort to avert a constitutional crisis relating to Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

According to news reports, President Donald Trump is considering whether to fire the Special Counsel or his supervisor, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. If he does, he will do lasting and perhaps even irreparable harm to the norms that sustain the rule of law.

While the members of the American Constitution Society and the Federalist Society disagree about many issues, they should share a fundamental belief in the rule of law. In explaining the purpose of the letter, ACS President Caroline Fredrickson said: “Progressive and conservative lawyers nationwide need to speak out now to avert this crisis. Words and even deeds after the fact will not be sufficient to undo the damage that will result from such an act.”

Both our organizations state our belief in the importance of the rule of law. The American Constitution Society’s mission statement provides that it “promotes the vitality of the U.S. Constitution and the fundamental values it expresses: individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, access to justice, democracy and the rule of law.” The Federalist Society’s statement of purpose calls for “reordering priorities within the legal system to place a premium on individual liberty, traditional values, and the rule of law.”

“At a time when basic assumptions about the continuing vitality of the rule of law are at risk, it is incumbent upon all lawyers to do what they can to avert a constitutional crisis that could leave our nation, our government and even the Executive Branch itself divided and unable to addresses the many issues confronting us,” Fredrickson said.

The leadership of the American Constitution Society looks forward to working with its counterparts in the Federalist Society to make our members voices heard in defense of the rule of law in this moment of grave peril for our constitutional norms.

The President of the American Constitution Society, Caroline Fredrickson, is available for interviews about this public letter.

Read the full letter below:

Eugene B. Meyer
President
Federalist Society for Law & Public Policy Studies
1776 I St NW #300, Washington, DC 20006

Dear Mr. Meyer:

On behalf of thousands of American Constitution Society members nationwide, I am writing to you to ask Federalist Society members to join in a united effort to avert a constitutional crisis relating to Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

According to news reports, President Donald Trump is considering whether to fire the Special Counsel or his supervisor, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. If he does, he will do lasting and perhaps even irreparable harm to the norms that sustain the rule of law.

While the members of the American Constitution Society and the Federalist Society disagree about many issues, they should share a fundamental belief in the rule of law. Progressive and conservative lawyers nationwide need to speak out now to avert this crisis. Words and even deeds after the fact will not be sufficient to undo the damage that will result from such an act.

Both our organizations state our belief in the importance of the rule of law. The American Constitution Society’s mission statement provides that it “promotes the vitality of the U.S. Constitution and the fundamental values it expresses: individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, access to justice, democracy and the rule of law.” The Federalist Society’s statement of purpose calls for “reordering priorities within the legal system to place a premium on individual liberty, traditional values, and the rule of law.”

At a time when basic assumptions about the continuing vitality of the rule of law are at risk, it is incumbent upon all lawyers to do what they can to avert a constitutional crisis that could leave our nation, our government and even the Executive Branch itself divided and unable to addresses the many issues confronting us.

The leadership of the American Constitution Society looks forward to working with its counterparts in the Federalist Society to make our voices heard in defense of the rule of law in this moment of grave peril for our constitutional norms.

Very truly yours,

Caroline Fredrickson
President
American Constitution Society

The American Constitution Society (ACS), founded in 2001 and one of the nation's leading progressive legal organizations, is a rapidly growing network of lawyers, law students, scholars, judges, policymakers and other concerned individuals dedicated to making the law a force to improve lives of all people. For more information about the organization or to locate one of the more than 200 lawyer and law student chapters in 48 states, please visit www.acslaw.org.