Kellyanne Conway's Husband Forms New Anti-Trump Lawyers Group Called 'Checks and Balances'
Despite his wife Kellyanne Conway‘s deep involvement in the Trump presidency from the very beginning, George Conway has helped establish a coalition of conservative lawyers against Donald Trump.
The Washington Post reports that the group, called Checks and Balances, fears that the president is attempting to “consolidate the power” of the three traditional branches of government into himself — and on top of that they believe he’s “normalizing” this behavior. Hence the group’s name.
Check and Balances’ mission statement reads: “We are a group of attorneys who would traditionally be considered conservative or libertarian. We believe in the rule of law, the power of truth, the independence of the criminal justice system, the imperative of individual rights, and the necessity of civil discourse. We believe these principles apply regardless of the party or persons in power … We seek to provide a voice and a network for like-minded attorneys to discuss these ideas, and we hope that they will join with us to stand up for these principles.”
Fourteen attorneys formed Checks and Balances two days before Thursday’s annual convention of the Federalist Society, a conservative lawyers’ group with members on the president’s short list of Supreme Court nominees, in hopes of sparking discussion among the members, according to the National Law Journal.
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“Most people don’t realize what he’s doing poses a threat to a constitutional democracy,” said Marisa Maleck, a former law clerk to conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
According to a CNN interview with founding member Carrie Cordero, Checks and Balances wants to show the next generation of conservative lawyers that they “can support” aspects of the current administration, “but that doesn’t mean they have go along with the … disregard for the rule of law, attacks on the justice system.”
Another member, John Bellinger, a top State Department and White House lawyer under President George W. Bush, explained to The New York Times: “Conservative lawyers are not doing enough to protect constitutional principles that are being undermined by the statements and actions of this president.”
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In addition, Conway, the group’s organizer, expressed concern to the Times regarding Trump’s attacks on the Justice Department and journalists. “There’s a perception out there that conservative lawyers have essentially sold their souls for judges and regulatory reform,” he said. “We just want to be a voice speaking out, and to encourage others to speak out.”
Last month, Conway also cowrote an op-ed in the Washington Post calling Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship unconstitutional. More recently, he criticized the appointment of Matthew Whittaker as acting Attorney General after Jeff Sessions was pushed out of the role.
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CNN reports Trump has often dismissed Conway, calling his actions attempts to “get publicity for himself.”
The White House did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
George Conway has spoken out against Trump repeatedly in the past. His wife, Kellyanne Conway, a top counselor to the president, lashed out last April when CNN’s Dana Bash asked her about her husband’s anti-Trump tweets.
Kellyanne Conway accused Bash of “harassing” her and said she was surprised Bash “would go there” with questions about Kellyanne’s spouse.
