Protecting Free Speech, Stopping Bureaucratic Overreach, and Promoting Federalism: Jonathan Williams on The Hugh Hewitt Show
"This administration is looking at states and local governments as key partners and not as adversaries."
Hugh Hewitt spoke with ALEC President and Chief Economist Jonathan Williams about recent ALEC amicus briefs addressing donor privacy and federalism. The pair also discussed the EPA’s recent pro-federalism initiatives.
Hewitt began the conversation focusing on the case, Ream v. U.S. Department of the Treasury (Supreme Court of the United States), which challenges the Wickard v. Filburn case. ALEC had signed onto Advancing American Freedom’s amicus brief, which argued that the Taxing, Commerce, and Necessary and Proper Clauses cannot be used to give Congress a general police power over purely local activity. Williams explained the interest ALEC had in the case, highlighting the federal overreach issue related to interstate commerce grounds.
“This is an important case for the future of the interpretation of our constitution and the key element of individual liberty,” Williams explained. “But also, to make sure that the federal government doesn’t go beyond its enumerated powers.”
Hewitt then shifted the discussion to the EPA’s pro-federalism initiatives under Administrator Lee Zeldin. Williams praised Zeldin for promoting federalism as a core principle of the EPA under the Trump administration.
“This administration is looking at states and local governments as key partners and not as adversaries,” Williams remarked, “and so we applaud Administrator Zeldin for once again doing the right thing and elevating the idea of federalism.”
Hewitt concluded the conversation by asking about the amicus brief ALEC filed for the Alaska Policy Forum v. Alaska Public Offices Commission (Supreme Court of the United States) case. Williams explained that ALEC filed a brief in support of the Alaska Public Policy Forum, which came under scrutiny in Alaska for educating the public about ranked choice voting. The state of Alaska subjected the organization to registration, reporting, and donor-disclosure requirements.
“We think that groups ought to have the ability to talk about public policy issues,” he noted. “They weren’t urging a vote for or vote against anything on the ballot. They were simply looking to educate Alaskans about this issue of ranked choice voting.”