Conservative judicial group adds 15 staffers for Amy Coney Barrett confirmation push

The conservative Article III Project said Tuesday it has added 15 lawyers and fellows to its team pushing for the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.

The group that works to support President Trump’s judicial picks is expecting a bitter nomination battle when next week’s Senate hearings on the nomination begin, so it added muscle with expert knowledge of the Senate and federal courts to advocate for Judge Barrett’s appointment.

“The confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett is the opportunity of more than a lifetime to create the first true conservative majority on the Supreme Court in over 80 years,” said Mike Davis, Article III Project founder, in a statement. “President Trump is going to transform the 5-4 [Chief Justice] John Roberts Court to the 6-3 [Justice] Clarence Thomas Court. For that reason, the left will stop at nothing to derail this confirmation, like they attempted successfully with Judge Robert Bork and unsuccessfully with Justices Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh.”

The 15 attorneys and legal fellows joining A3P’s team for the advocacy push for Judge Barrett will do research, writing, and engage in rapid response efforts to fight against attacks on Judge Barrett’s record and the Senate process reviewing her nomination. Some of the attorneys retained for the advocacy push for Judge Barrett are contributing in a pro bono capacity.

Seven of the 15 staffers added have workplace restrictions that prevent them from being publicly identified with the outside advocacy group, according to Mr. Davis. Among A3P’s recent additions are senior counsel Ian Prior, former Justice Department spokesperson; senior counsel Nicole Gustafson, vice president for government relations at the National Association of Broadcasters; and senior counsel Ron Coleman, partner at Dhillon Law Group in New York.

Several of the new additions have experience working with Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Iowa Republican and former Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, and have argued and clerked at the federal courts.