Welcome to the Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law

John Malcolm and senior scholars move from Heritage to America Advancing Freedom.

Last night I shared my resignation letter from the Heritage Foundation. Today, the story continues to develop.

The Wall Street Journal reports that 15 staffers are moving from Heritage to Advancing American Freedom (AAF).

Among those joining AAF are John Malcolm, the head of the foundation's legal and judicial studies center, Kevin Dayaratna, the head of the foundation's data analysis center and Richard Stern, the director of the foundation's economic policy studies institute. AAF said it is bringing on about a dozen other staff members. Malcolm is taking seven members of his center's team. . . .

"After Kevin Roberts's video, I had several judges, academics, and prominent practitioners come up to me, personal friends of mine, who said 'we love you, we love the Meese Center, but we're not going to do anything with the Heritage Foundation in the future,'" Malcolm, the departing expert, said. "The Kevin Roberts video was a seminal moment inside the organization."

The AAF press release includes this quote from Attorney General Meese:

Former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese III stated the following, "I am proud to announce Advancing American Freedom as the home for the new Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law. AAF has already established itself as a leader in the conservative movement.

I am confident that the lawyers and staff in the Meese Institute will continue to play a leading role in advancing the conservative legal movement in terms of their scholarship, and by working with allies to achieve our mutual objectives, educating the general public about important legal issues, helping to train the next generation of conservative lawyers, and defending the Constitution and rule of law."

Here is the list of people moving over:

Tom Jipping will join The Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law as a Senior Legal Fellow.

Paul Larkin will join The Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law as a Senior Legal Fellow.

Amy Swearer will join The Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law as a Senior Legal Fellow.

Jessica Reinsch will join The Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law as a Director of Programs.

Jenna Hageman will join The Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law as a Program Associate.

Meaghen McManus will join The Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law as a Program Associate

David Burton will join the Plymouth Institute for Free Enterprise as a Senior Research Fellow.

Rachel Greszler will join the Plymouth Institute for Free Enterprise as a Senior Research Fellow.

Preston Brashers will join the Plymouth Institute for Free Enterprise as a Research Fellow.

John Peluso will join the Plymouth Institute for Free Enterprise as a Policy Analyst.

Welcome to the Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law.

Comments

[QuantumBoxCat]

What's the over/under on the time it takes for AAF to endorse antisemitism?

[Brett Bellmore]

I'm gonna say it takes quite a while, if ever, given that they're taking in a bunch of people who fled the Heritage foundation precisely because they found antisemitism objectionable.

[Area Man]

Depends on how fast they hire “Middle East” or “Islamic Studies” professors from big-name universities, or rightwing conspiracy theorists…er, I mean “thought leaders.”

[SimonP]

This fundamentally mistakes what's driving right-wing antisemitism, in the recent controversies.

Some right-wing pundits have decided that there's a grift to be had in capitalizing on recent anti-Israel rhetoric, in order to distance themselves from the Trumpian "establishment" whose total corruption and policy failure is becoming hard to ignore or defend. Yes, while these pundits may themselves toy around the edges of antisemitism, they are doing so with the expectation that it will read as clear endorsement by certain right-wing antisemites in their audience. Heritage has apparently decided to pursue that line of business.

AAF is not in that part of the grift business. They're aggressively religious rights-driven, so their money is coming from a different part of the right-wing ecosphere, and they aren't as interested in pandering to the Nick Fuentes wing. They're more interested in gassing the trannies.

[Darwinnie]

Freedom for me but not for thee.

[apedad]

HEY!

How come none of them are Volokh Conspiracy contributors?!?

Not even a guest blog . . . .

[SRG2]

"Splitters!"

[ScottK]

I look forward to the continued "publication" of "research" on legal and so***l issues with unipolar results!

[Flatulus]

Hopefully this makes Heritage less obsequious towards Israel in the future, but I have my doubts.

[Roger S]

Apparently the Jews thought that they owned Heritage. The main explanation here is that Heritage was not taking Jewish orders.

Also the WSJ said Pence said Heritage "had embraced elements of isolationism, stopped backing Ukraine in the war with Russia, supported some tariffs and backed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary, among other things."

Really? What did they think that the Heritage mission was?

[Area Man]

FFS, just do like your idol Hitler and kill yourself already.

[John 4]

"Heritage’s mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense."

Antisemitism doesn't seem to be in their mission statement. Helping Ukraine's defense seems to be in line with a strong national defense though. Not sure how the brain-worm freak in charge of HHS fits in.

[Roger S]

Heritage has not done anything antisemitic. Strong national defense refers to the USA, not defending Ukraine. Being in favor individual freedom does not mean trying to censor Tucker Carlson.

[Roger S]

For a more libertarian view, see this.
https://reason.com/2025/12/22/deplatforming-backfired/

It starts by quoting those who were bragging in 2021 that deplatforming works, with the main examples being Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson.

[Kazinski]

The ship jumpers are jumping off the Heritage platform onto another platform more to their liking.

Nothing wrong with that.

[circleglider]

The “ship jumpers,” annoyed over being served red wine with fish, are switching to the RMS Titanic.

Weissmuller correctly assesses their collective irrelevance.

[tuphat]

Edwin Meese, explaining his opposition to Miranda: "Suspects who are innocent of a crime should [get the warning]. But the thing is, you don't have many suspects who are innocent of a crime. That's contradictory. If a person is innocent of a crime, then he is not a suspect." U.S. News & World Report. Vol. 99, no. 1. October 14, 1985. p. 67

[Roger S]

Nick Fuentes has not said anything that ridiculous.

[Jamal Jenkins]

Now you can engage in unfettered neoconservatism.
Next stop - bottomless funding for Ukraine, offshoring more jobs, ZERO pushback for unfair trade practices, increase HB1s 100X, and cede the culture war. YAY!