In an early summer edition of The Republican Lawyer newsletter this week, RNLA President Larry Levy urged Republicans to support Donald Trump, noting that his release of a list of 11 potential Supreme Court nominees should reassure Republican lawyers of the principled kind of judge that Trump would appoint at all levels of the judiciary:
In 1980, many Party stalwarts expressed doubts about Reagan, doubts he helped quell with a memorable debate performance against Jimmy Carter. In a sense for the legal community, as well for many of our Party’s staunchest supporters, Mr. Trump had a similar moment when he recently announced his list of potential Supreme Court nominees. Even Mr. Trump’s harshest Republican critics agree this is an outstanding list, while Hillary Clinton and the left are distraught.
Even more importantly, for Republican lawyers this list is reassuring because it shows deference to the rule of law and is a strong indication of the types of judges Mr. Trump would appoint at all levels of the federal courts.
For Republican Lawyers, the Trump Supreme Court list, should be our 1980 Debate moment. The moment when we knew that we had to support Mr. Trump.
For just like 1980, the choice is binary. Does anyone think Hillary Clinton would appoint even a magistrate judge with the same impeccable credentials and respect for the rule of law that was shown on Mr. Trump’s list? We know what four more years of liberal judicial appointments would do our court system, let alone a liberal majority for the Supreme Court. Actually, four years is the wrong number. We would be looking at a liberal court with little respect for the rule of law for the next generation.
Larry Levy noted the important role that Republican lawyers will play in the elections this fall:
As Republican lawyers, our members supported and were involved in every one of the seventeen primary campaigns, as we each exercised our sacred freedoms of association and free speech. Now, we must decide how to exercise those freedoms, as well as our obligation as citizens to vote in November. Some will focus only on Senate, House, or state races, while others will heed the call to unite the Party and support Mr. Trump for President, as the person who has garnered the most votes both from citizens and delegates. Whatever you decide, do not withdraw from the battles ahead; the stakes are too high, the risks too imminent to accept abstention. I’ve made my decision to support Mr. Trump and our Party; I trust all our members will actively participate in their own way during this critical election.
All Republican lawyers should unite around Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee and work to support Republicans at every level of the ticket in November. This fall, lawyers will be needed to assure fair, open, and honest elections more than ever before.