Conservative Group to Oppose Nominations by Gov. Christie

Americans for Prosperity Urges Gov. Christie to Rescind Supreme Court Picks


Conservative Group to Oppose Nominations of Mayor Bruce Harris and First Assistant Attorney General Phillip Kwon

BOGOTA, NJ – Americans for Prosperity, the state’s leading free-market, grassroots organization is announcing today its opposition to the nominations of both Chatham Borough Mayor Bruce Harris and First Assistant Attorney General Phillip Kwon to the state Supreme Court.

“After careful review and consideration of these nominees, Americans for Prosperity cannot endorse their confirmation to the state’s highest court and will work to see that they are not confirmed by the state Senate,” said AFP state director Steve Lonegan.

“The governor was elected on the promise to change the makeup of the court by replacing activist justices with originalists who will interpret the law, not make law from the bench,” continued Lonegan, “and Americans for Prosperity was fully prepared to support him in achieving this goal.

“However, there is nothing in the backgrounds of either of these nominees to assure us that Mayor Harris or Mr. Kwon will practice judicial restraint and put a stop to this court’s endless usurpations of the powers of the other branches of government if seated on the Supreme Court.”

Lonegan expressed particular concern with the nomination of Mayor Harris.

“Mayor Harris’ résumé is bereft of any experience in dealing with the Supreme Court on any level. His history is in real estate closings. He has never even written a legal brief or argued a case before the court.

“In addition, some very troubling statements made by Mayor Harris have come to light which demonstrate acceptance of prior activist court rulings, as well as a flawed view of the U.S. Constitution, that cast in severe doubt whether he would be an objective jurist.”

“Americans for Prosperity urges the governor to rescind both of these nominees, restart the vetting process and nominate individuals to the court with a proven record of practicing judicial restraint and understanding the limited role of the court in the democratic process.”

Hearings for Mr. Harris and Mr. Kwon are on the docket of the Senate Judiciary Committee for Thursday, March 22. Americans for Prosperity representatives expect to testify at the hearings and the conservative group will be mobilizing its army of more than 60,000 citizen activists as part of its efforts to have impartial, originalist justices confirmed to the state’s highest court.

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and intrusiveness of government is the best way to promote individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens to support restraining state and federal government growth and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP is more than 1.9 million activists strong, with activists in all 50 states. AFP has 34 state chapters and affiliates. More than 85,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial contribution to AFP or AFP Foundation.

For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

Americans for Prosperity does not support or oppose candidates for public office.


Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. AFP is an organization of grassroots leaders who engage citizens in the name of limited government and free markets on the local, state, and federal levels. The grassroots activists of AFP advocate for public policies that champion the principles of entrepreneurship and fiscal and regulatory restraint.