RNLA Vice President for Election Education David Warrington wrote today in the Daily Caller about the shameful and bizarre personal attacks against President Trump's nominees made by liberals and establishment Democrats:
Minnesota Supreme Court Justice David Stras has been nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He has over seven years of judicial opinions and six years of legal scholarship to scrutinize. But instead of examining his record, liberal organizations have dismissed him as a “right-wing ideologue” who is simply a pawn of organizations like The Federalist Society. . . .
Notre Dame Law Professor Amy Barrett, nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, was likely surprised to discover during her confirmation hearing that her sincerely held Catholic beliefs might disqualifyher, as a conservative, from holding judicial office, at least according to Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Texas attorney Trey Trainor, nominated to the Federal Election Commission last week, also quickly came under fire for his sincerely held Catholic beliefs. Like all the other nominees, Trainor’s true transgression is his conservative and libertarian views, particularly his vocal support for First Amendment rights and distrust of government bureaucrats’ efforts to regulate political speech. The vast majority of the American people share these views—liberals also used to value the First Amendment—yet they have been painted as radical enough to disqualify Trainor from public service. . . .
These attacks are not based on an honest review of any nominee’s scholarship, policy views, work history, associations, or character but instead are based on the nominee having been nominated by Trump, having mainstream conservative or libertarian views, and being supported by conservatives and libertarians. They seriously degrade our public discourse and prevent productive discussions and debates about a nominee’s policy views.
The piece closes by thanking those willing to serve our country despite the personal attacks that will be made against them simply for being nominated by President Trump and being conservative or libertarian. These nominees are superb and we are immensely grateful.
Today, the RNLA officially congratulated Trey Trainor on his nomination to be a Commissioner on the Federal Election Commission (FEC):
Mr. Trainor’s credentials are impeccable. He is a leading election lawyer and an expert
on campaign finance issues. He has
spoken at many RNLA National Election Law Seminar trainings. He is currently a partner specializing in
election law, campaign finance, and ethics at Akerman LLP. Previously, he has served as Special Assistant
to the Secretary of Defense in the Department of Defense’s Office of General
Counsel; as General Counsel to the Texas Secretary of State; on the Standards
Advisory Board to the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission; as Counsel to the
Texas House Committee on Regulated Industries; and in various capacities in the
Texas Legislature.
Leading members of the election law and campaign
finance bars who are RNLA members have praised Mr. Trainor’s nomination:
Benjamin Barr, President of the Pillar of Law Institute: "Mr.
Trainor is nationally distinguished for his expertise in election law. Beyond
this, Mr. Trainor has shown an unwavering dedication to preserving the First
Amendment rights of average Americans--a position that has consistently been
upheld by the courts. The FEC can only benefit from Mr. Trainor's knowledge and
proven ability to help it carry out its mission."
Kory Langhofer, Managing Attorney, Statecraft PLLC, and Litigation
Counsel, Trump for America, Inc.: “I’ve worked with Trey, know him well, and
hold him in high regard. He is an
excellent pick, and I am confident he’ll serve the country well on the FEC.”
Joseph M. Nixon, RNLA Texas Chapter Chair and Partner, Akerman LLP: “Trey
is a brilliant lawyer, extraordinarily principled and well-schooled in election
law. The President has made a fine choice.”
RNLA
Executive Director Michael Thielen agreed: “Trey Trainor has deep knowledge of
campaign finance law, a breadth of practical experience, and impressive legal
skills. In addition to his skills as a
lawyer, he is a man of character who is well-respected by everyone who knows
him. He will serve with distinction on
the FEC with his respect for the rule of law and First Amendment rights that is
desperately needed at the agency that regulates political speech.”
Unfortunately, liberals and the media are already baselessly attacking Mr. Trainor for his conservative views and his support for important First Amendment rights, just as they have attacked all recent Republican FEC commissioners--Lee Goodman, Caroline Hunter, Don McGahn, and Matthew Petersen--for their respect for the rule of law and support for the First Amendment.
The RNLA will be countering these attacks and supporting Mr. Trainor's nomination in the next weeks and months. Stay tuned here for further information on his character, legal philosophy, and qualifications and how you can help support his swift confirmation to the FEC.
