After Sotomayor: How Progressives Reshape the Debate Over Our Constitution and the Supreme Court
Just a few months into his first term President Obama has already made a mark on the Supreme Court. What does the confirmation of Judge Sotomayor mean for the Court and its upcoming rulings? Following the first successful judicial confirmation of the Obama Era, how can progressives restore their claim to the text and history of the Constitution? How can the Netroots community help make both judiciary and the Constitution an important issue in progressive politics? How will this summer influence how the Obama Administration invests in future judicial nominations?
Alliance for Justice is a national association of more than 80 public interest and civil rights organizations that advances justice for all Americans, strengthens the public interest community's influence and foster the next generation of advocates. Nan is nationally recognized for her vast expertise in public interest law, the federal judiciary and citizen participation in public policy. She is the author of Liberty and Justice for All: Public Interest Law in the 1980s and Beyond and regularly appears as a commentator in national media. Nan has been Executive Producer for several award-winning films produced to educate and empower activists.
Doug is the Founder and President of Constitutional Accountability Center (CAC), a think tank, law firm and action center based in Washington, DC. CAC works in our courts, through our government, and with legal scholars to promote the progressive promise of the Constitution's text and history. Doug has represented state and local government clients in state and federal appellate courts around the country and before the U.S. Supreme Court, and his commentary and legal writings have appeared in dozens of major newspapers and academic publications. Doug received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Virginia.
Christy Hardin Smith is a "recovering" attorney, and was a partner in her own firm for several years, where her practice included criminal defense, children's issues, domestic law, civil litigation, and she was an attorney for a small municipality, before switching hats to become a state prosecutor. Christy has extensive trial experience, and has worked for years both in and out of the courts to improve the lives of at risk children. Christy has written daily for the popular liberal blog http://www.firedoglake.com, covering the law and politics since 2005.
Congressman Jerrold Nadler represents New York’s Eighth Congressional district which is entirely within New York City. He was first elected to the House in 1992 after serving for 16 years in the NY State Assembly. Throughout his career he has championed civil rights, civil liberties, efficient transportation, and a host of progressive issues such as access to health care, support for the arts and protection of the Social Security system. Congressman Nadler is a senior member of both the House Judiciary Committee and the House Transportation Committee.
In late August 2009, Thomas Saenz will become the President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), a national organization whose mission is to promote the civil rights of Latinos in the United States. Since 2005, Saenz has been Counsel to the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles, serving on Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s four-member Executive team and providing advice on legal and policy matters. Previously, Saenz served at MALDEF for 12 years, including four years as litigation director. Saenz holds Bachelor’s and law degrees from Yale University.
