We Checked the Constitution: It’s Still There
The latest on the Constitution, housing, ICC corruption, racist redistricting, and the future of conservatism.
Good afternoon from Advancing American Freedom headquarters, located directly across Pennsylvania Avenue from the National Archives. If anyone broke in to steal the Constitution, we’d likely be among the first to notice.
That said, with the physical parchment of our founding documents housed safely behind concrete walls and bulletproof glass, we at AAF focus much more on the threats to the constitutional order those documents helped establish. These threats originate in courts and legislatures, and while they aren’t as cinematic as a National Treasure-style document heist, they’re often just as brazen.
This week, AAF scholars defended the First and Second Amendments to our Constitution, set the record straight on bad housing bills, redistricting schemes, and a corrupt International Criminal Court, and participated in a symposium on the future of the conservative movement.
As always, email John or Jace if you have questions.
Event Alert!
Fourth Friday Social: May 22 from 4:30—6:30 PM at 224 C St. NE, Washington, DC.
AAFF staff and friends will gather at the C Street townhouse for drinks and good conversation. Light appetizers and beverages will be provided. RSVP and tell your friends!
What We’re Up To:
The First Amendment Wins a Supreme Court Smackdown (Washington Times) — Tom Jipping & Marc Wheat
In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court reaffirmed a core First Amendment principle: the government cannot use subpoenas to chill free association and protected speech. AAF argues the ruling is a major rebuke to politically motivated attempts to target nonprofit donors and advocacy groups.
The ‘Commonsense Gun Laws’ That Didn’t Stop Trump Assassination Attempt (Daily Wire) — Amy Swearer
The latest assassination attempt of President Trump unfolded despite extensive gun-control laws already in place in California and Washington, D.C. Policymakers should reckon with the limits of “commonsense gun laws” when confronting political violence and public safety threats.
Trump Admin’s Recent Pro-Second Amendment Moves Are Good for Lawful Gun Owners (PJ Media) — Amy Swearer
“The Trump Administration is on the move against Second Amendment infringements, and the American people are finally getting a glimpse of what it looks like to have an executive branch that’s fully invested in protecting the right to keep and bear arms.”
The ROAD to Housing Act is a Dead End for Affordability (Washington Examiner) — Joel Griffith & Marc Short
Joel Griffith and Marc Short critique the Senate’s 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, warning that expanding federal housing subsidies and restricting private investment will worsen affordability rather than improve it. AAF calls for reducing regulation, removing tariffs on construction materials, and expanding market-driven housing supply.
Ep. 6 The Bayou State Gives Racist Redistricting the Boot — Court is Adjourned with Hans von Spakovsky
This week, Hans von Spakovsky’s guest is Adam Kincaid, a national expert on redistricting, to discuss the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, as well as the other political and legal redistricting battles going on in multiple states.
The International Criminal Court Is in Bed with Our Enemies and It’s Time We Clean House (Daily Wire) — Eugene Kontorovich
The International Criminal Court has become vulnerable to political manipulation by hostile foreign powers and is increasingly being used as a weapon against democratic allies. Kontorovich calls for stronger U.S. action to confront a politicized and unaccountable international institution.
AAF Scholars Debate ‘The Right Way Forward’
Our friends at The Washington Examiner convened a symposium on the future of the conservative movement. Preston, David and Rachel contributed to the project.
Conservatives Must Embrace Personal Responsibility and Reject Victimhood — Preston Brashers
Conservatives must reject the politics of grievance and rediscover the movement’s traditional emphasis on personal responsibility, free enterprise, and limited government. Embracing victimhood politics—whether from the left or right—undermines the self-government and optimism that have long defined the American experiment.
Liberal Policies Don’t Work Even When Rebranded as ‘Conservative’ — David Burton
Protectionism, industrial policy, and other big-government economic ideas do not become conservative simply by adopting new branding. Free enterprise, limited government, and economic freedom are the foundations of our durable prosperity.
The New Right Wants to Help Workers. Its Labor Policy Will Hurt Them — Rachel Greszler
“For decades, conservatives agreed on the simple premise that the best foundation for good jobs, rising wages, and expanding opportunity was the free market, not government mandates. Recently, that consensus has fractured as the New Right has embraced a more interventionist approach to labor policy…”
AAF Reports:
Judicial Appointments Memo 5/11/26 — Tom Jipping
Jobs Report: April 2026 — Gadai Bulgac & Rachel Greszler
Payroll employment increased by 115,000 jobs in April, and the unemployment rate remained stable at 4.3 percent.
What We’re Reading:
Mike Pence Group Says Tariffs Boost K Street, Hurt Main Street (Bloomberg Government)
Kate Ackley highlights our latest analysis on the unintended consequences of tariffs, including how new trade barriers are fueling demand for lobbyists and politically connected consultants while increasing costs for businesses and consumers.
Thanks for reading!
John Shelton, VP of Policy
Advancing American Freedom