Judicial Crisis Network

Judicial Crisis Network
Type 501(c)(4)
Location
Chief Counsel
Carrie Severino
Website www.judicialnetwork.com

The Judicial Crisis Network (JCN) (originally founded as the Judicial Confirmation Network) is a conservative judicial group based in the United States. It is run by Carrie Severino, a former law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.[1] The organization describes itself as "dedicated to strengthening liberty and justice in America."[2]

Background

The organization was founded in 2005 to promote the judicial appointees of then president George W. Bush.[3] Fundraiser and lawyer Ann Corkery, along with California real estate magnate Robin Arkley II, were key to the beginning of the organization.[4]

Funding

The leading funder of JCN is the Wellspring Committee, which is directed by Ann Corkery.[3] Wellspring gave close to $7 million to JCN in 2014.[5]

Advocacy activities

In 2013, JCN ran ads in Alaska that were critical of U.S. Senator Mark Begich's votes to approve all of President Barack Obama's federal judicial nominees.[6] The group also ran advertisements that were critical of Mary Landrieu and Mark Pryor's votes for President Obama's court picks.[7] In 2014, the group ran digital advertisements critical of Chris Christie's judicial appointments.[1][8] JCN has been active in Michigan and North Carolina supreme court elections.[9]

In 2015, the Judicial Crisis Network donated $200,000 to Nebraskans for the Death Penalty, a group promoting reinstatement of capital punishment in Nebraska.[10]

In 2016, the JCN ran a negative advertisement about Jane L. Kelly, a federal appeals judge from Iowa who was on a White House list of possible nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court.[11]

Also in 2016, the JCN bought advertisements across the country to oppose President Obama's Supreme Court nominee, chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Merrick Garland.[3] In November 2016, after Donald Trump was elected President of the United States, JCN ran television advertisements praising Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley for holding the line against Garland.[12] The group also spent over $500,000 on advertisements thanking Trump for his campaign promises regarding the types of justices he would select for the nation's high court. JCN's advertisements asked viewers to thank Trump for pledging to nominate conservative jurists in the mold of Antonin Scalia to the Supreme Court.[13][14]

References

  1. 1 2 Haberman, Maggie (July 15, 2014). "Conservative judicial group to hammer Chris Christie". Politico. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  2. "About the Judicial Crisis Network". Judicial Crisis Network. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Michaelson, Jay (March 29, 2016). Billionaires Try to Buy the Supreme Court. The Daily Beast. Retrieved: March 29, 2016.
  4. Novak, Viveca & Stone, Peter (March 23, 2015). The JCN Story: Building a Secretive GOP Judicial Machine. OpenSecrets. Retrieved: March 29, 2016.
  5. Mencimer, Stephanie (March 19, 2016). These Right-Wing Groups Are Gearing Up for an Onslaught on Obama's Supreme Court Nominee. MotherJones. Retrieved: March 29, 2016.
  6. Cole, Dermot (December 21, 2013). "Begich attack ads a sign of things to come in heated Senate race". Alaska Dispatch-News. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  7. Sullivan, Sean (December 2, 2013). "Conservative group hits Landrieu with ad on judicial nominations". Washington Post. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  8. Camia, Catalina (July 15, 2014). "Conservatives blast Chris Christie ahead of Iowa trip". USA Today. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  9. "Judicial Crisis Network". Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  10. "Nebraska group touts support to stop death penalty repeal". The Big Story.
  11. Overby, Peter (March 17, 2016). "Conservatives Lobby Around Supreme Court Nomination". NPR. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  12. Everett, Burgess (November 18, 2016). "Judicial Crisis Network already running ads ahead of Trump SCOTUS pick". Politico. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  13. Lovelace, Ryan (November 28, 2016). "Group launches $500K ad campaign praising Trump's SCOTUS pledge". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  14. DeBonis, Mike (November 25, 2016). "The fight to confirm Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee starts now". Washington Post. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
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