From Nominee to Never Mind
The latest on presidential noms, farm policy, judicial misconduct, and our latest hire
Hello from Advancing American Freedom,
With a major nominee battle victory and a new colleague testifying before Congress, it’s been a week worth celebrating at AAF
As always, email John or Jace if you have questions!
What We’re Celebrating:
We’ve been warning since October 2025 that Casey Means, a supplement hawker and open advocate of magic mushrooms and occult practices, should not be confirmed as Surgeon General. Even if we don’t eliminate the role entirely (as AAF Chairman Marc Short argued in the Washington Post). the position should never go to a candidate like Means.
Enough members of the Senate agreed with AAF’s relentless messaging on this issue that President Trump withdrew the nomination and replaced her with Dr. Nicole Saphier, who appears to be a much more qualified candidate.
While others wavered, AAF held firm to our pro-merit, anti-witchcraft values. As radio host Erick Erickson put it:
What We’re Up To:
April’s Dishonorable Judicial Conduct Award in the Swinging Body Parts Case (PJ Media) — Tom Jipping & Hans von Spakovsky
The Ninth Circuit ruled against Olympus Spa, saying that pre-transitioned biological males should be allowed to be fully nude in front of biological females, some as young as 13 years old. All of this is based on a Washington anti-discrimination law that has nothing to do with biological makeup. Judge Kenneth Lee (a Trump appointee) strongly dissents.
The Clown Circus Continues at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (PJ Media) — Hans von Spakovsky
“If you thought the circus at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights couldn’t get more absurd, the Commission’s April 24 business meeting proved otherwise, with Democrats claiming that a document from the White House signed by President Donald Trump was a possible forgery. All in order to defy the president, defy the law, and keep control of this federal Commission.”
A Jewish Man in Ohio Tried to Pray at Home. His Mayor said No. (Washington Examiner) — Marc Wheat & Paul Teller
“The seeds of American liberty were planted by those who fled religious persecution and sought a land where they could live according to the convictions of their consciences. But in a suburb of Cleveland, local government officials attempted to prevent one Jewish man, Daniel Grand, from hosting fellow Jews in his house to pray.”
The Right to Distill (Washington Times) — Marc Wheat
You cannot distill spirits in your own house because you could evade taxes. That’s the surprising claim advanced in McNutt v. U.S. Department of Justice. In a new piece, Marc Wheat explains why this ruling could allow the government to regulate all home activities, even cooking dinner in your own kitchen.
Kansas Republicans are Letting Democrats Destroy Ballot Integrity Safeguards (The Federalist) — Hans von Spakovsky
AAF scholar Hans von Spakovsky warns that efforts to weaken signature verification in Kansas could undermine a key election safeguard. He argues that failing to defend basic protections risks eroding voter confidence in the integrity of the system.
Now Boarding Government Airlines (Washington Examiner) — Joel Griffith & Marc Short
After stopping a market-based lifeline for Spirit Airlines, policymakers are considering a taxpayer bailout that will give the government up to 90 percent ownership of the company. That’ll be a boon to the creditors and speculators who gambled on the dying airline’s shares, and won’t leave the business any better positioned to succeed, Joel and Marc argue.
Taxpayers and the Taking of Lives (World) — Julia Jensen and Madeline Alfonso
A federal restriction preventing taxpayer funding of abortion providers like Planned Parenthood will expire on July 4, 2026, unless Congress renews it. As Julia and Madeline argue, “If one concludes that abortion constitutes the taking of innocent human life, then the case for public funding is impossible to justify.”
AAF Reports:
Free Market Policies for Farm Relief — John Shelton
American farmers are under pressure—and Washington’s policies aren’t helping. In a new report, John Shelton outlines a free-market path to cut costs, boost exports, and give farmers room to thrive.
How to Make Trump Accounts Greater — Preston Brashers
“Trump Accounts could become an invaluable tool for developing financial literacy and demonstrating the value of wealth creators. Giving wealthy Americans a more viable option of contributing directly to the accounts of young Americans should lead to less dependency on the federal government.”
Presidential Political Appointments Memo 4/28/26 — Tom Jipping
Judicial Appointments Memo 4/27/26 — Tom Jipping
See also: The Latest Outlook for Trump’s Impact on the Judiciary (National Review)
AAF Welcomes New Hire: Eugene Kontorovich
We are happy to announce AAF’s new hire, Eugene Kontorovich, who will help build out AAF’s foreign policy shop. Eugene is a leading scholar of international and constitutional law and a Professor at the George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. He previously taught at Northwestern University and clerked for Judge Richard Posner on the U.S. Court of Appeals. His widely cited scholarship focuses on international jurisdiction, maritime law, and the legal dimensions of the Middle East, and he is a frequent advisor and commentator on international legal issues.
Onward!
John Shelton, VP of Policy
Advancing American Freedom