Advancing American Freedom today announced an expansion of the policy team with the hire of Joel Griffith, a former research fellow at the Heritage Foundation.
“We could not be more excited to welcome Joel Griffith to our team this year,” said AAF President Tim Chapman. “In 2025 Advancing American Freedom intends to play a leadership role in advocating for conservative economic policies that will ensure American prosperity. Whether it be it extending the tax cuts, cutting wasteful spending, or debating the proper use of tariffs, Joel has demonstrated his commitment to free markets and American dynamism. I look forward to working side by side with him as we seek to accomplish our policy goals.”
“I’m honored to join the AAF policy team. As the conservative movement wrestles with economic policies, it’s time to champion the benefits of free markets and limited government while warning of the dangers of protectionism, fiscal recklessness, and government interventionism. I’m looking forward to engaging in these conversations through AAF,” said Joel Griffith.
TikTok v. Garland
December 23, 2024
Advancing American Freedom filed an amicus brief with over 20 other amici arguing that the legislation to force TikTok to divest from the Chinese Communist Party is a matter of national security and should be upheld for the security of the American people.
“TikTok is digital fentanyl, a 21st-century technological weapon being used by the Chinese Communist Party to target the American people,” said Vice President Pence. “Our government’s first job is to defend our Nation and its citizens. The Supreme Court should uphold the law forcing the sale of TikTok to protect the security and privacy of the American people.”
“In a rare show of bipartisanship, Congress passed this legislation recognizing that TikTok is a national security threat while under the control of the Chinese Communist Party,” said AAF President Tim Chapman. “America must show strength in the face of China’s growing threat and uphold this legislation to defend our nation’s security.”
“The Constitution empowers Congress to defend our nation against threats from adversaries,” J. Marc Wheat, AAF General Counsel. “The First Amendment is not an open door to our adversaries, and there is no First Amendment that applies to the Chinese Communist Party. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit already upheld this legislation under the highest level of scrutiny, and the Supreme Court must uphold it as well to protect the American people.”
Read the full brief here.
Texas Top Cop Shop v. Garland
Advancing American Freedom led a coalition of 19 other amici fighting federal overreach and for the freedom of American’s information from the prying eyes of government. In Texas Top Cop Shop v. Garland, Texas Top Cop Shop is challenging the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), a law that requires tens of millions of organizations, from small businesses to political organizations, to report “Beneficial Owner Information” to the government. This law is not justified by any of Congress’s enumerated powers and thus is unconstitutional. It also requires gathering of massive amounts of private information in a government database that invites hacking.
“The Constitution is not a blank check,” said AAF General Counsel J. Marc Wheat. “It is a limited delegation of specific powers. None of those powers justifies the collection of broad swaths of information about the American people. The law at issue in this case does exactly that and must be struck down. Its enforcement should be stayed until the courts have time to consider it fully.”
Read the full brief here.
Advancing American Freedom led a coalition of 31 other amici defending the right of students in an Ohio school district to tell the truth in their use of some of the most fundamental elements of language: pronouns. Olentangy School District (which objected to the Court reading our amicus brief) has a set of policies that, taken together, prohibit students from using sex-accurate pronouns that correspond with reality when doing so might cause offense to another student. Whether in the form of secret social transitioning, chemical or surgical mutilation of healthy children, or forcing kids to lie about what is right in front of them, the Left has no business imposing onto children their absurd theories about language and human sexuality.
“Rather than focusing on improving students’ understanding of the great truths contained in subjects like history, literature, math, and science, education officials around the country are spending their time devising ways to impose their novel social theories onto children,” said AAF General Counsel J. Marc Wheat. “It’s time for courts to intervene and put a stop to these absurd policies before more children are harmed. Our schools must rededicate themselves to truth rather than continue to be distracted by fanciful and ephemeral falsehoods.”
Read the full brief here.
