The Community Rights Counsel was an American non-profit, public interest law firm formed in 1997 by the late Doug Kendall. Its general aim was to assist communities in protecting their health and welfare. The organization's legal work focused on the intersection of environmental and constitutional law , filing frequent amicus briefs in cases defending governmental action against claims of "regulatory takings."
7-484: The group promoted judicial ethics, exposing the practice of judges attending junkets sponsored by right wing think tanks that espoused free market anti-regulatory philosophies. Their findings were published in two reports, Nothing for Free: How Private Judicial Seminars Are Undermining Environmental Protections and Breaking the Public's Trust (July 2000), and Tainted Justice: How Private Judicial Trips Undermine Public Trust in
14-551: A coalition anchored by the Center for American Progress and People for the American Way . U.S. Supreme Court cases in which CAC has filed amici curiae briefs include: CAC's Issue Briefs Series provides commentary and analysis on current constitutional and political issues, including, voting rights, campaign finance, citizenship, corporate rights, and federal power. CAC has also published Issue Briefs and released several reports on
21-617: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Constitutional Accountability Center The Constitutional Accountability Center (CAC) is a non-profit think tank located in Washington, D.C., that seeks to advance a progressive interpretation of the Constitution of the United States . The group has filed numerous lawsuits against former President Donald Trump . CAC was launched on June 3, 2008. Its predecessor organization
28-660: The Federal Judiciary (March 2004). A version of Tainted Justice was published in the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics 18:65-134. The group has since been absorbed into the Constitutional Accountability Center , a legal advocacy group. The group filed many amicus briefs in state and federal appellate courts and the Supreme Court supporting the federal government. Among their notable briefs
35-587: The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments. CAC founder and president Douglas Kendall has stated his belief that a renewed focus on the Civil War Amendments can help to reveal the Constitution as a progressive document. A CAC publication about New Textualism states that "the Constitution provides concrete and progressive answers to many important questions." CAC heads "Constitutional Progressives,"
42-508: Was an amicus submission in Gonzales v. Raich (2005). The case concerned whether the federal government had the power to regulate medical marijuana under the Constitution's Commerce Clause, which is the basis of federal authority for many health, safety, welfare, and environmental statutes. Had the federal government lost, many federal laws and regulations might not be enforceable except by a state-level action. This United States law firm article
49-517: Was the Community Rights Counsel . Both organizations were founded and led by Douglas Kendall. Advisors to CAC have included Akhil Amar , Jack Balkin , and Walter E. Dellinger III . CAC is a proponent of "New Textualism ", a school of thought focused on the text, structure, and enactment history of the language of the Constitution. The organization makes legal arguments based in constitutional text and history, with particular emphasis on
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