wilson, alan ag sc

j6 DACA, student debt POW

trump legal coup, traitor pending (wilson [and landry?) bailled --> Paxton

assholery trifecta: DACA, sedition, intervenor ACB

AN 2 25

Attorney general accusations

Mace also accused Attorney General Alan Wilson, an expected foe in the 2026 governor’s race, of not addressing the crimes against her and other women — which he called “categorically false.”

Nancy Mace yet to announce bid for SC governor, but jabs at potential opponents

IFrame Content

During her speech, Mace stood next to a poster of Wilson that read “Do Nothing Attorney General,” a moniker she has routinely used to describe him.

Mace said she turned evidence of her findings over to the attorney general, who failed to take any action with it and at one point refused further evidence.

But Wilson said neither he nor anyone in his office had any knowledge of the accusations until her speech. His office has not received any reports or requests for assistance from any law enforcement agency or prosecutor’s office, his office said in a statement released shortly after the speech.

Beyond that, it is not the attorney general’s job to start a police investigation, the statement noted.

“Ms. Mace either does not understand or is purposefully mischaracterizing the role of the attorney general” as the state’s chief prosecutor, it said.

As for her claim that Wilson refused to receive evidence, his office said, “the attorney general would always direct any citizen to provide evidence of a crime to the appropriate law enforcement agency, which would be responsible for the investigation.”

The lengthy statement also pointed out that Wilson and Mace have been at multiple events together over the past six months and that Mace has Wilson’s personal cellphone number.

“Not once has she approached or reached out to him regarding any of her concerns,” it read.

Mace has made stops around the state in recent weeks as she contemplates a gubernatorial bid. Gov. Henry McMaster is ineligible to run again, creating wide-open field.

So far, only former reality TV star and state Treasurer Thomas Ravenel has announced a run for governor, which he did on X last week.

But Mace, Wilson and Lt. Gov. Pam Evette are the three most expected to run. Mace has been highly critical of both Wilson and Evette on social media.

Six red states —

Arkansas,

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 HTTPS://ARKANSASAG.GOV/

Says, ‘Biden’s unlawful political play puts the self-wrought college-loan debt on the backs of millions of hardworking Americans’

LITTLE ROCK— Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today announced a lawsuit against President Joe Biden, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and the U.S. Department of Education forviolating federal law when the Biden Administration attempted to categorically cancel student loan debt in August. The suit alleges that Biden violated federal law, the constitutional principle of separation of powers and the Administrative Procedure Actwhen he skirted congressional authority to implement this policy.

“President Biden’s unlawful political play puts the self-wrought college-loan debt on the backs of millions of hardworking Americans who are struggling to pay their utility bills and home loans in the midst of Biden’s inflation,” said Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “President Biden does not have the power to arbitrarily erase the college debt of adults who chose to take out those loans.”

The lawsuit highlights that President Biden knew he did not have the proper authority to authorize this type of executive action, which is why he attempted to work with Congress to find a legitimate and legal solution to the student loan crisis. After Congress routinely failed to pass legislation addressing the issue, Biden attempted to unilaterally act far beyond the authority granted to him by the Constitution. This action will result in approximately half a trillion dollars in losses to the federal treasury and contribute to the already rampant inflation the nation is experiencing.

The Democrat Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, summarized it best when she said, “people think the President of the United States has the power for debt forgiveness. He does not.”

Joining Arkansas in the suit are the states of: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Carolina.

Iowa,:{https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"):}::{ › about-us › about-attorney-general-tom-miller:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"):}:

:{About Attorney General Tom Miller | Iowa Attorney General:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:top;display:inline-block;max-width:100%;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"):}:

Attorney General Tom Miller is serving in his 10th four-year term as Attorney General of Iowa. He is the longest currently serving attorney general in the nation. He was born in Dubuque on August 11, 1944, the son of the late Elmer and Betty Miller.

Kansas, dacaDerek Schmidt of Kansas,

Missouri,:{https://ago.mo.gov:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"):}::{ › about-us › about-ag-schmitt:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"):}:

:{Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:top;display:inline-block;max-width:100%;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"):}:

Eric Schmitt was sworn in as the 43rd Attorney General for the State of Missouri on January 3, 2019. As Attorney General, Eric is focused on keeping Missouri families safe and upholding the rule of law. As the lawyer for all six million Missourians, Eric is fighting each and every day to protect opportunities for the next generation.

Nebraska,

:{https://ago.nebraska.gov:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"):}::{ › ag-peterson:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"):}:

:{AG Peterson | Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:top;display:inline-block;max-width:100%;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"):}:

Attorney General Doug Peterson - To serve the citizens of Nebraska and Nebraska's elected officials with fidelity to our U.S. Constitution, State Constitution, and Nebraska law.and

South Carolina

:{https://ag.jasonfoundation.com:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"):}::{ › sc:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"):}:

:{South Carolina Attorney General - Alan Wilson - AG:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:top;display:inline-block;max-width:100%;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap;background-color:#ff9900;"):}:

South Carolina Attorney General - Alan Wilson. Youth suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for our young people ages 10-24 in our nation and 3rd in South Carolina today. In South Carolina, the 2013 CDC's Youth Risk Behavioral Survey reported over ONE out of every EIGHT of our youth "seriously considered" suicide and that over ONE out ...

— are suing the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden over Biden’s plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt for individuals making less than $125,000 a year.

off bs

mAY 17, 2021

Republican Attorneys General Unanimously Affirm South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson as RAGA Chairman

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - May 17, 2021 - The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) today announced South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson was unanimously affirmed RAGA Chairman by his Republican attorney general colleagues.

"The Republican attorneys general have always been united in their defense of the Constitution and rule of law. The extreme left that currently runs Washington, D.C. have no limiting principles and will continue their attempts to erode our freedoms by expanding the size and scope of government," said RAGA Chairman South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. "We must continue this battle while we prepare to fight on another front: the 2021 and 2022 elections. With more than 30 attorney general races over the next two years, we must defend our incumbents and work to expand our majority."

Wilson's term begins immediately, following Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt stepping aside to focus on his campaign for United States Senate. Schmitt, who moved for a vote of confidence in Wilson, remains an active member of RAGA and a member of the Executive Committee.

"Not only is Alan Wilson one of the most respected Republican AGs, he is a former RAGA Chairman with an immense amount of institutional knowledge and leadership experience," said Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. "It's been a privilege to serve as RAGA Chairman during this critical time when the Republican AGs are defending America at a record pace from the Biden Administration's attempts to institute a hyper-aggressive partisan agenda on our country. I know Alan Wilson will serve RAGA and its members incredibly well."

In addition to South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson becoming RAGA Chairman, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita was elected to the 2021 RAGA Executive Committee. The Executive Committee consists of:

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt

Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson

// texas bounty law

anyone any state aids and abets ~ press

https://www.businessinsider.com/south-carolina-lawmakers-propose-prison-sentences-25-years-abortion-providers-2022-7?op=1

https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2022/08/04/emails-reveal-south-carolina-ag-alan-wilsons-pay-to-play-activities-for-national-group/

no lnx many docs

Emails Reveal South Carolina AG Alan Wilson’s Pay-to-Play Activities for National Group

By David Armiak | August 4th, 2022

ALEC, Democracy, Economy, Featured Investigations, Koch, News, RAGA

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who has faced long-running controversy over his role in impeding an investigation into State House corruption, has been an active participant in the Republican AGs’ national pay-to-play operation, according to records obtained by the nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog American Oversight.

Wilson became the national chair of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) in May 2021 and in June 2022 coasted to an easy primary victory for his fourth term as AG—thanks to a 30-to-1 fundraising advantage over challenger Lauren Martel.

The Democrats did not field a candidate.

Every year RAGA accepts millions in unlimited contributions from corporations, individuals, and special interest groups—including Koch Industries, Altria, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce— to fund the campaigns of Republican candidates for attorneys general and coordinate the official actions of Republican AGs.

Together with its affiliates the Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF), a 501(c)(4), and the Center for Law and Policy, a 501(c)(3), RAGA runs a cash-for-influence operation that sells its corporate funders access to those AGs and their staff.

RAGA AGs are “the object of aggressive pursuit by lobbyists and lawyers who use campaign contributions, personal appeals at lavish corporate-sponsored conferences and other means to push them to drop investigations, change policies, negotiate favorable settlements or pressure federal regulators,” the New York Times reported in an extensive 2014 investigation.

RAGA’s 2019 Membership Benefits document details the level of access to AGs and their staff corporate lobbyists receive with contributions from $15,000 to $250,000, including the opportunity to “lead issue briefings” with the AGs if they pay $50,000 or more.

Public records confirm that Wilson has been an active participant in that pay-to-play arrangement.

Dinners and Calls With Donors

Emails obtained by American Oversight from the South Carolina AG’s office reveal a pattern of Wilson meeting with RAGA’s corporate donors when requested, followed by those corporations making five-figure donations to RAGA and, in some cases, to Wilson’s reelection campaign.

For instance, at RAGA’s request Wilson had a phone meeting on Sept. 9, 2020 with the vice president for corporate affairs at the lawn care company TruGreen. The briefing email RAGA sent in advance included the “ask” that Wilson thank the company’s VP “for their generous support” and a background section that highlighted TruGreen’s Roundtable-level membership, which costs the company $25,000 a year.

The RAGA briefing email mentions Covid-19 business restrictions and the court case Beyond Pesticides v. TruGreen as public policy areas of interest to the company. Beyond Pesticides sued TruGreen in 2020 for misleading the public about the safety of its products. The complaint alleges that “TruGreen purports to offer environmentally friendly, sustainable lawn care services that use no chemicals that may cause cancer, allergic reactions, or other health or environmental harms,” but that these claims are false and deceptive.

Two months after the call with Wilson, TruGreen contributed $2,500 to his campaign, reaching the maximum of $3,500 in contributions allowed for the cycle. Overall, the company gave a total of $72,500 to RAGA during the 2020 election cycle, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) found. RAGA received $20,000 of that just two days after the Sept. 9 phone meeting.

TruGreen subsequently contributed $15,000 to RAGA in 2021 and $25,000 in 2022, according to a CMD analysis of IRS filings.

On July 16, 2021, Wilson had a phone meeting at RAGA’s request with two lobbyists from UPS.This time the “ask” was for Wilson to give “an update on RAGA” and “remind them that their membership lapsed in February and ask that they renew this quarter.” RAGA’s 2021 year-end IRS filing suggests that UPS promptly complied, renewing its membership with a $15,000 contribution just three days later—on July 19, 2021. In the 2020 election cycle, the UPS PAC contributed $25,000 to RAGA.

The briefing email Wilson received before the call lays out the company’s RAGA giving history and public policy interests in great detail. It describes those interests as a proposed SEC rule to require increased “climate change-related disclosures” that RAGA opposed; “claims of labor discrimination or unfair labor practices [that] may be submitted to state attorneys general offices”; “regulation of future technologies”; and a New York lawsuit against UPS for “illegally shipping cigarettes to Native American reservations in circumvention of state tax laws.”

Emails from Wilson’s office also indicate that he attended dinners with RAGA donors. In November 2021, Wilson RSVP’d for a dinner with the “state AG team” of the powerful corporate law firm Cozen O’Connor during RAGA’s Fall National Meeting in California.

“When AGs, either alone, in multi-state actions, or jointly with federal agencies, focus their attention on a company’s activities or business practices and an investigation or lawsuit ensues, we have the experience and knowledge to mount a vigorous defense,” Cozen O’Connor states on its website.

The law firm has contributed over $55,000 to RAGAsince January 2021, and gave the organization $112,650 during the 2020 election cycle

Cozen O’Connor also contributed the maximum $3,500 to Wilson’s 2022 reelection campaign a month before the dinner, according to a report filed with the South Carolina Ethics Commission.

In 2018, Cozen O’Connor participated in RAGA’s AG Academy, a two-day training session for candidates running for state attorney general.

Also, on Mar. 2, 2020, an email shows that Wilson met at the offices of Altria for “Dine-Around Dinners” during RAGA’s Winter National Meeting in Washington, D.C.

One of the world’s largest producers of tobacco products, Altria has donated $375,000 to RAGA since January 2021, IRS filings show. With $609,154 in contributions, it also proved to be the organization’s seventh largest donor during the 2020 election cycle.

Altria has also given the maximum of $3,500 for Wilson’s 2022 reelection bid.

Serving RAGA’s Top Donor

The top donor to RAGA in 2021 and the first quarter of 2022 is its longtime biggest funder, the Judicial Crisis Network (formally registered with the IRS as The Concord Fund). Leonard Leo, Trump’s “judge whisperer” and co-chair of the Federalist Society, leads the dark money group, which has given RAGA $3.5 million so far this election cycle, an analysis of IRS filings by CMD found.

On June 10, 2021, weeks after becoming RAGA’s national chairman, Wilson was scheduled to meet with a “Judicial Coalition” including Mike Thompson and Gary Marx. The Concord Fund’s latest publicly available IRS filing shows that Marx serves as secretary, treasurer, and director of the organization.

Although Thompson is not affiliated with The Concord Fund, he is a senior vice president with Leo’s CRC Advisors, which receives a monthly stipend to consult for RAGA.

Peter Bisbee, RAGA’s executive director, is listed as point of contact (“POC”) on the email along with RAGA scheduler Seline Morrissette. Bisbee previously worked as director of state courts and deputy director of external relations at the Federalist Society when Leo still served as its executive vice president.

Leo’s court capture network has raised at least $600 million since 2014 to reshape laws and shift the federal court system to the far right, True North Research reported.

Emails from the South Carolina AG’s office also show that on Apr. 12, 2021, Wilson received an election policy proposal from the Honest Elections Project. (HEP)

HEP is a dark money voter suppression group created in February 2020 as a project of The 85 Fund, a well-funded cog in the Leo network that distributes millions in grants to an array of rightwing groups. In addition to his roles at The Concord Fund, Marx also serves as treasurer of The 85 Fund.

AG Wilson was invited to deliver a keynote speech at HEP’s two-day voter suppression “academy” in conjunction with the July 2021 American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) Annual Meeting, emails detail. When Wilson declined, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, an avid proponent of Trump’s Big Lie and a member of RAGA, delivered the keynote instead, CMD first reported.

ALEC is working with HEP to develop and promote model bills that are less about honesty in elections than voter suppression and perpetuating mistrust in the process, CMD revealed.

Wilson Promoted Judge Barrett for Koch Network

Before he became RAGA’s chairman, Wilson participated in a Facebook Live event in October 2020 to promote Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court.Americans for Prosperity (AFP), billionaire Charles Koch’s astroturf operation, facilitated his involvement.

Koch’s network of companies and political organizations are also among the top donors to the Republican AGs’ group. Since January 2021, RAGA has received $130,400 from AFP, $375,000 from Koch Industries, and $1,270 from Koch Companies Public Sector. During the 2019–20 election cycle, Koch Industries contributed $425,000 to RAGA, with Koch Companies Public Sector chipping in an additional $23,000.

On Oct. 5, 2020, Andrew Yates, state director for AFP-South Carolina, wrote Wilson’s office to ask for his participation in a Facebook Live event supporting Barretts confirmation:

We [AFP] are working hard across the country to get Judge Barrett’s nomination passed through the senate. We have had conversations with friendly AGs in several states with more currently planned out and I would love to set up a FB live with myself and a colleague (cc’d) to discuss the nomination and why it is so vital for our country with AG Wilsons [sic] point of view on the issue and policy.

A week later Wilson and Yates joined AFP’s VP of Judicial Policy Casey Mattox for a Facebook Live event on the morning of Oct. 12, 2020 to discuss a series of questions composed by AFP to aid the confirmation effort.

Koch Industries supported Wilson’s reelection campaign in 2018, CMD reported, and has contributed the maximum $3,500 to his 2022 reelection bid.

RAGA Forever Tied to Jan. 6 Insurrection

RAGA was a member of the March to Save America coalition, which organized the Jan. 6 rally in D.C. to overturn the presidential election results that culminated in a violent invasion of the U.S. Capitol. Its former chair, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, spoke at the rally alongside then-President Trump, and RLDF ran robocalls ahead of time explicitly urging Trump supporters to travel to Washington and march on the Capitol.

RAGA attempted to distance itself from its involvement in the uprising, but many longtime employees resigned when RLDF’s Executive Director Peter Bisbee, who was responsible for the robocalls, was selected to lead RAGA.

About David Armiak

David Armiak is research director with the Center for Media and Democracy. David joined CMD in 2015, has conducted extensive investigations on dark money, corporate corruption, and right-wing networks, and is responsible for filing and analyzing hundreds of public records requests every year. David has a strong research interest in social movements and political power, and has delivered many talks on the subject. He has a Bachelor's degree in philosophy and anthropology from Boston University and a Master's degree in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

All articles by David Armiak

How Michael P. Farris Tried to Block 2020 Election Outcome - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

no lnx

Christian Conservative Lawyer Had Secretive Role in Bid to Block Election Result

Drafts of a lawsuit filed with Supreme Court by Texas’ attorney general in December had been circulated by the leader of an anti-abortion group.

Michael P. Farris was one of a team of conservative lawyers who reached out to several state attorneys general to encourage them to challenge the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in court.

By Eric Lipton and Mark Walker

Oct. 7, 2021

WASHINGTON — One of the nation’s most prominent religious conservative lawyers played a critical behind-the-scenes role in the lawsuit that Republican state attorneys general filed in December in a last-ditch effort to overturn the election of President Biden, documents show.

The lawyer, Michael P. Farris, is the chief executive of a group known as Alliance Defending Freedom, which is active in opposing abortion and gay rights. He circulated a detailed draft of the lawsuit that Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, ultimately filed against states including Pennsylvania, Georgia and Wisconsin in an effort to help President Donald J. Trump remain in office.

Mr. Paxton filed the lawsuit on Dec. 7, after making some changes but keeping large chunks of the draft circulated by Mr. Farris.

An additional 17 Republican attorneys general filed a brief with the Supreme Court supporting Mr. Paxton’s lawsuit. Within four days, the matter was rejected by the court.

But Mr. Farris’s role highlighted how religious conservatives supported Mr. Trump’s unsuccessful attempts to retain power by blocking certification of Mr. Biden’s victory.

“Please find a much-improved version of the complaint attached,” Mr. Farris wrote in an email onNov. 30 to the chief deputy attorney general in South Carolina,one of several Republicans whom Mr. Farris and a team of other conservative lawyers were trying to convince to file the lawsuit. “I will call you and update you on the alternatives.”

The email, obtained via an open records request by The New York Times and researchers at Mount Holyoke College, included a detailed 42-page legal complaint, accusing the states of violating the Constitution by changing the rules related to absentee ballots and other election details without formal approval from state legislatures.

The complaint Mr. Farris sent had conveniently left the identification of the Republican attorney general’s office that would ultimately file the litigation blank, instead writing “000 Street Ave, Capitol City, ST 00000, (111) 222-3333, fsurname@oag.StateA.gov, Counsel of Record.”

Thumbnail of page 2

Read the document

Here is the draft lawsuit that Michael P. Farris, chief executive of a group known as Alliance Defending Freedom, sent to the South Carolina attorney general, as he searched for a Republican state attorney general willing to file the lawsuit with the Supreme Court.

Read Document Page 2 of 46

Mr. Farris’s involvement in the effort, which has not previously been reported, came as part of a broad push by religious conservatives to get Mr. Trump re-elected. Their role intensified after the pandemic hit in early 2020 and states began to loosen absentee ballot rules, which the religious conservatives feared would lead to a surge in participation by liberal voters.

Mr. Farris made a name for himself in the 1980s as the founder of a legal group that successfully pushed states nationwide to allow children to be taught at home, based on a belief that only through home-schooling, away from secular influences in public schools, could a broad Christian movement rise in the United States.

At the Alliance Defending Freedom, Mr. Farris has helped drive the organization’s campaign against abortion and gay rights, including the lawsuit litigated by Mr. Farris’s team that sought to defend the right of a Colorado cake shop to refuse to sell a wedding cake to a gay couple, a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court.

Mr. Farris declined a request for an interview, but in an email he confirmed his role in the postelection effort, saying his involvement was not a part of his work at the Alliance for Defending Freedom, a nonprofit group that is prohibited under federal law from playing any role in a political campaign.

“While it’s true that I care about this issue on a personal level, it is not something that ADF works on in any capacity,” he wrote. “As President and CEO, my charge is to focus on ADF’s mission, which is to protect Americans’ God-given freedoms. I have nothing to say about the details of the way forward on the issue of election integrity other than the hope that all Americans take the issue seriously.”

A spokesman for Mr. Paxton did not respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Farris had not been a fan of Mr. Trump before his election, and publicly urged other conservative Christians to vote for another Republican candidate in 2016.

“His candidacy is the antithesis of everything we set out to achieve,” Mr. Farris wrote in a Washington Post opinion column in June 2016.

But Mr. Farris and other religious conservatives later told their followers that Mr. Trump had proven them wrong with his appointments of conservative judges, his efforts to block any federal spending on abortions, and his willingness to support efforts by certain business owners to discriminate against homosexuals.That included the Colorado cake shop, which won the right to refuse to sell to wedding cakes to gay couples — in a legal argument that the Trump Justice Department supported.

Religious groups were active in publicly challenging the outcome of the November election from the start — even as a much more secretive campaign was underway, involving Mr. Farris and others, such as Mark D. Martin, the dean at Regent University School of Law, a self-described Christian institution.

Mr. Martin, the former chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, and Mr. Farris were both involved, emails obtained by The Times show, in attempts to recruit a Republican attorney general to file a lawsuit with the U.S. Supreme Court to further the efforts by allies of Mr. Trump.

Drafts of the lawsuit were also sent to the Louisiana attorney general, Jeff Landry,a Republican. But the most intensive efforts appear to have targeted South Carolina and Texas, the emails suggest,as conservative activists tried to convince South Carolina’s attorney general, Alan Wilson, to serve as the lead plaintiff.

Image

Among those Mr. Farris pressed to file suit was Alan Wilson, South Carolina’s attorney general.

“Mike Farris, who is the President and CEO of the Alliance Defending Freedom (formerly Alliance Defense Fund) will be sending over reports, perhaps as early as this evening,” said one Nov. 27 email to Mr. Wilson,sent by conservative activist and author Don Brown,referring to reports examining the presidential election results and ongoing challenges.

Three days later, Mr. Farris wrote to Mr. Wilson’s office, with a draft of the lawsuit he wanted Mr. Wilson to consider filing in U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Farris then spoke with Mr. Wilson about the possible lawsuit, according to the emails.

“We have been having constant conversations with other state AGs and state AG staffs,” Mr. Wilson wrote in a Dec. 3 email, also obtained via an open-records request. “Had a follow-up conversation with Mike Farris yesterday morning prior to him flying back to Texas. Mike was very accommodating and knowledgeable about the legal issues raised in the pleading.”

But Mr. Wilson raised objections to the legal arguments with Mr. Farris, he said, questioning whether one state had the right to sue another state over election procedures or what it might be reasonable to ask the Supreme Court to do as a “remedy” for such a legal dispute, given that it involved the outcome of the presidential election.

“There were other issues that have been raised that have been difficult to overcome but our staff along with other states are still working through the issue,” Mr. Wilson said.

Not discouraged, the team of conservative activists intensified their efforts to enlist Mr. Paxton, who within days moved forward with his suit on behalf of the State of Texas.

“Our Country stands at an important crossroads,” the complaint filed by Mr. Paxton said in its opening argument. Those words were lifted verbatim from the draft Mr. Farris had sent, as was a subsequent passage asserting that “either the Constitution matters and must be followed, even when some officials consider it inconvenient or out of date, or it is simply a piece of parchment on display at the National Archives. We ask the Court to choose the former.”

Jim Rutenberg contributed reporting.

assholery trifecta: DACA, sedition, intervenor

STEVE MARSHALL Attorney General of AlabamaEdmund G. LaCour Jr. (AL Bar No. 9182-U81L) Solicitor General Thomas A. Wilson (AL Bar No. 1494-D25C) Deputy Solicitor General STATE OF ALABAMA OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 501 Washington Ave. Montgomery, AL 36130 Telephone: (334) 242-7300 Fax: (334) 353-8400 Edmund.LaCour@AlabamaAG.gov Thomas.Wilson@AlabamaAG.gov Counsel for Proposed Defendant-Intervenor State of Alabama [additional counsel listed on signature page] UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF OREGON EUGENE DIVISION KELSEY CASCADIA ROSE JULIANA, et al., Plaintiffs, v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, et al., Defendants. Case No. 6:15-cv-01517-AA

PROPOSED DEFENDANT-INTERVENORS: STATES OF ALABAMA, ALASKA, ARKANSAS, GEORGIA, INDIANA, KANSAS, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OKLAHOMA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TEXAS, UTAH, AND WEST VIRGINIA’S REPLY

[:(style="background-color:#ffff66;"):}::{**:{RAGA leaders were also involved in :(style="background-color:#ffff66;"):}::{Texas AG Ken Paxton's [lawsuit filed last month in the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the presidential election results in the battleground states of Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, }:claiming changes made to accommodate voters in the COVID-19 pandemic were unlawful. Among those signing on to the suit were RAGA's Hunter [okla, quit 2021] , Landry, Marshall [alabama], Moody, Reyes, Schmitt and Wilson, as well as the Republican AGs ofArkansas,Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota,South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia.]]

{{In July 2017, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton led a group of Republican Attorneys General from nine other states, includingMarshall, plus Idaho Governor Butch Otter, in threatening the Donald J. Trump administration that they would litigate if the president did not terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy that had been put into place by president Barack Obama. Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery, III subsequently reversed his position and withdrew his participation from the proposed suit on August 31st. Slatery went further to urge passage of the DREAM Act.^[5][6] The other Attorneys General who joined in making the threats against Trump includedLawrence Wasden of Idaho, Leslie Rutledge of Arkansas, Derek Schmidt of Kansas, Jeff Landry of Louisiana, Doug Peterson of Nebraska, Alan Wilson of South Carolina, and Patrick Morriseyof West Virginia.}}:

https://republicanags.com/2021/06/15/republican-ags-prevail-in-lawsuit-against-biden/

JUNE 2021

A federal court today granted a coalition of 13 Republican AGs, led by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, a major win against the Biden Administration’s attempts to disrupt the American energy industry. The court’s preliminary injunction will prevent the federal government from implementing the Biden ban on oil and gas lease sales on federal lands. The court’s action reinforces Constitutional limitations, will preserve thousands of jobs, and prevent energy costs from soaring.

“This is a victory not only for the rule of law, but also for the thousands of workers who produce affordable energy for Americans,” said Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. “We appreciate that federal courts have once again recognizedPresident Biden is completely outside his authority in his attempt to shut down oil and gas leases on federal lands.”

“Today’s injunction shows the power of our nation’s Republican attorneys general and their ability to halt harmful actions being handed down by the Biden Administration,” saidRAGA ChairmanSouth Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. “This is a victory for Americans who have seen gas prices double since President Biden took office, and the Biden Administration should take note before they try to implement policies through the back door.”

2022

RAGA LEADERSHIP

Steve Marshall

STEVE MARSHALL

Alabama

Ashley Moody

ASHLEY MOODY

Florida

Todd Rokita

TODD ROKITA

Indiana

Daniel Cameron

DANIEL CAMERON

Kentucky

Jeff Landry

JEFF LANDRY

Louisiana

Eric Schmitt Immediate Past Chairman

ERIC SCHMITT

Missouri

Austin Knudsen Policy Chairman

AUSTIN KNUDSEN

Montana

Alan Wilson Chairman

ALAN WILSON

South Carolina

Sean Reyes

SEAN REYES

Utah

RAGA 2015 executive committee members were:^[4]

6/16 fuel fix bs

A campaign by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to end the investigation into ExxonMobil and other fossil fuel companies over false statements on climate change is gaining support among other state law enforcement officials.

Attorneys general from 13 states signed an open letter Wednesday, arguing that climate change is a public policy debate, not a criminal matter, and urging law enforcement officials in other states to “stop policing viewpoints.”

“We all understand the need for a healthy environment, but we represent a wide range of viewpoints regarding the extent to which man contributes to climate change and the costs and benefits of any proposed fix,” the letter reads. “Nevertheless, we agree on at least one thing—this is not a question for the courts.”

Attorneys general from Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Alaska, Nebraska, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and South Carolinasigned the letter.

Paxton made headlines last month when he and Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange filed a motion seeking to block a subpoena by the U.S. Virgin Islands for ExxonMobil’s internal documents related to climate change. Paxton called the the probe a “a fishing expedition of the worst kind.”

AG Coalition Resp Letter 2016-06-15

Alan McCrory Wilson (born July 16, 1973)^[1] is an American attorney and politician, currently serving as the 51st Attorney General of South Carolina. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life and education[

Wilson was born Alan McCrory. His father, Michael McCrory, was an Army captain and Vietnam veteran.^[2] He was killed in 1975 in a helicopter crash during a training exercise at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.^[3] Wilson's mother, Roxanne Dusenbury McCrory, then married Joe Wilson, who currently serves as the U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 2nd congressional district. Joe Wilson adopted Alan when he was three, and Alan took his last name.^[3]Along with his three brothers, Alan is an Eagle Scout.^[4]

Wilson graduated from Francis Marion University with a bachelor's degree in political science^[1] in 1996, and received a J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2002.^[5]

Legal career[

Wilson served as an intern in the Attorney General's office under Charlie Condon. After law school, he worked for Judge Marc H. Westbrook, and later as an Assistant Solicitor and as an Assistant Attorney General. In 2009, he moved to the private sector and started working at the law firm Willoughby & Hoefer in Columbia, South Carolina.

2010 campaign[

Henry McMaster did not run for reelection as Attorney General, choosing instead to run for governor,^[6]as incumbent Mark Sanford was term limited. Wilson won the GOP nomination in a runoff election on June 22, 2010, receiving 60 percent of the vote against his opponent Leighton Lord.^[7] Wilson defeated Democrat Matthew Richardson and Green Party candidate Leslie Minerd in the general election on November 2.^[8]

Investigation of campaign contributions[

In 2013, it was reported that Wilson failed to comply with state ethics disclosure laws by not reporting at least 84 contributions and expenditures on required public reports. In February 2013, Wilson originally admitted his campaign failed to disclose and report receiving at least 15 separate contributions of unknown amounts.^[9] A further investigation completed in March 2013 revealed at least 68 unreported contributions and 16 unreported expenditures.As the errors were self reported and the reports were subsequently re-filed, Wilson will not face any penalties.^[10]

Zombie voters controversy[

On January 12, 2012, Wilson claimed on Fox News that "We found out that there were over 900 people who died and then subsequently voted. That number could be even higher than that."^[11]The Washington Postinvestigated this and similar claims, finding that the "State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) conducted an extensive probe, which was completed May 11, 2012. But the final report was just made public this month after a 13-month review by Wilson’s office" and concluding that Wilson "hyped these charges into certified "facts", even before any real investigation had taken place. Indeed, the minuscule percentage of alleged dead votes, out of the number cast, should have urged caution. Instead, he went straight to the television cameras—and then his office for months bottled up the report that revealed not a single claim was true."^[12] The Washington Postawarded Wilson's claim "Four Pinocchios."

Tenure as Attorney General of South Carolina[

In October 2014, Wilson asked the Supreme Court of South Carolina to intervene to stop same-sex marriage licenses from being issued in South Carolina after the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling striking down state bans on same-sex marriage. The 4th Circuit has jurisdiction over South Carolina.^[13]