Washington, DC – Today, Constitutional Accountability Center is announcing the release of Corporate Clout: As the Roberts Court Transforms, the Chamber Has Another Big Term, continuing its practice – following the conclusion of each Supreme Court Term – of reviewing the performance of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in its advocacy before the Justices.

Commenting on this work, CAC President Elizabeth Wydra said:

“CAC has been studying the Chamber’s success rate since 2010 – quantifying the response of the Roberts Court to the Chamber’s arguments, comparing and contrasting that behavior with that of previous Courts, and analyzing implications for the future of consumer and worker protection, access to courts, the influence of money in politics, and other issues.

“The previous Term was hamstrung by the cynical political devices of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, resulting in the confirmation of Justice Gorsuch during the Term’s final month of oral argument. In the analysis released today, we discuss the impact of these events on the Court’s business docket – including an 80% win rate for the Chamber and a perfect pro-Chamber voting record so far for Justice Gorsuch – and what this portends for the Term ahead.

“Last Term saw a heavy thumb on the scales of justice in favor of corporate interests and against workers, consumers, and average Americans, with the Chamber consolidating prior gains and winning significant new victories. Heading into 2018, and the first whole Term with a full complement of nine Justices since the passing of Justice Scalia, this only underscores the critical importance to progressives of doing all they can to ensure that the federal bench is staffed with judges who follow the law, not the agenda of corporate advocates.”

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Resources:

Corporate Clout: As the Roberts Court Transforms, the Chamber Has Another Big Term, CAC Analysis, Brian Frazelle, July 26, 2017: https://www.theusconstitution.org/text-history/4543/corporate-clout-roberts-court-transforms-chamber-has-another-big-term

Corporations and the Supreme Court, CAC resource page on the Chamber’s performance at the U.S. Supreme Court: https://www.theusconstitution.org/corporations-and-supreme-court

“Corporate Clout: Chamber Wins 80% at the Court This Term,” Elizabeth Wydra, Huffington Post, June 28, 2017: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/corporate-clout-chamber-wins-80-at-the-court-this_us_59540a76e4b0326c0a8d0d58

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Constitutional Accountability Center (www.theusconstitution.org) is a think tank, public interest law firm, and action center dedicated to fulfilling the progressive promise of the Constitution’s text and history.

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