Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA) Co-Chair Patricia Paoletta is featured in a guest column published by Real Clear Education hitting Vice President Kamala Harris for her cozy relationship with the nation's "most radically activist teachers union." Paoletta warns parents they should be terrified of handing Randi Weingarten and Tim Walz more power over American children.

Since being elected Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) in March, Michael Whatley has refocused the Party on election integrity. He recently announced the RNC has exceeded his goal of recruiting 100,000 volunteers for the Protect the Vote Campaign. 

Despite attempts to portray himself as a political moderate and folksy Midwesterner, Vice President Kamala Harris’ newly-tapped running mate is wildly out of step with American families. Gov. Tim Walz is facing major pushback from parent groups over his progressive record on children’s health, education, and crime.

On Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump announced Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), a fellow Republican lawyer, as his running mate for the 2024 presidential election. Vance’s working-class background, which he famously wrote about in his award-winning memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy," reinforces Republicans as the party who fights for hard-working families, now, and long into the future.

In the days since President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance, Democrat Party elites are trying every which way they can to get Joe off the ticket. The so-called “save democracy” party, which claims to fight for voter rights, is literally trying to disenfranchise the 14 million voters who cast a vote for Biden in the Democrat primaries earlier this year. Despite the obvious hypocrisy, party leaders are still considering nullifying those primary votes and imposing a candidate of their choosing.

Yes, President Joe Biden performed shockingly bad in last week’s debate (“shockingly” for those who either hadn’t been paying attention or had only consumed a deliberate coverup by the lying mainstream media for the last four years and had no idea of Biden’s declining health).

But Biden didn’t just lose. 

Former President Donald Trump gave an incredible debate performance and won rather decisively, despite the amount of pretzel-twisting or mental gymnastics it takes some to argue otherwise.

As we celebrate Women's History Month, we spoke with the Republican National Lawyers Assocation Co-Chair Patricia "Tricia" Paoletta about women in the law, attacks on the Supreme Court, and what keeps her up at night in this presidential election year.

Can you tell me about your experience in the 2006 confirmation hearings of Justice Alito? I understand at one point you had to jump in front of a group of progressive women who were trying to dominate a C-SPAN video livestream during a break in the hearing?  

C-SPAN had placed an open mic outside of the Senate hearing room where Judge Alito’s supporters could go on camera during breaks in the hearing to voice their support for his nomination. I had been patiently waiting my turn in line when a woman from a progressive group opposed to his nomination cut in front of me for a chance to get on camera. I allowed her to speak, but when I attempted to go to the mic, a second woman from that same group tried to edge me out! This time, I wasn’t having it! I firmly placed myself in front of the camera before she could push me aside as the first woman had done.

As we celebrate great women lawyers during #WomensHistoryMonth , we share this THROWBACK video of @TriciaPaoletta speaking boldly in support of Justice Alito during a break in his 2006 confirmation hearings. She is still fighting today for the integrity of the Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/bufsZkt4tA

— RNLA ⚖️ (@TheRepLawyer) March 20, 2024

Where does your confidence and conviction to be so bold come from?

I played competitive sports growing up and politics in this town can be a competitive sport. I wasn’t going to let someone cut in front of me. I was there to support Judge Alito and I was going to do my job and speak consistently with my convictions. I have a sense of righteousness and fairness, but also a competitive nature. In addition to playing softball and basketball, I ran track and was the fastest girl in my elementary school in suburban Chicago!

What advice do you have for young women coming up in the legal profession?

Certainly, pursue opportunities that are consistent with your interest area but be open to other opportunities. Don’t be rigid. Say “yes” to opportunities. I once had an older colleague tell me “The clients are out there, outside. Not in here. Get out and volunteer, that is where you will meet people who you will network with in the future.” I think today many young people undervalue the importance of face-to-face interactions.

I had always wanted to do international telecommunications law and had an opportunity after George H.W. Bush was elected to interview for a job with the Federal Communications Commission. While it wasn’t what I thought I wanted, I interviewed for the position and from there I found another opportunity that was a better fit for me. I have always advocated for myself in my career.

I am the mother of four young folks, some millennials, some Gen Z, and I tell them that they need to advocate for themselves, but just as important, they need to work hard in their current role and then those people around them will become their advocates. 

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, it is nice to see we have more parity between men and women studying the law, but ultimately, we need to encourage and celebrate excellence. That is the most important thing for lawyers.  

The RNLA is a leader in protecting our elections from malfeasance and fraud, what do you think poses the greatest threat to the upcoming presidential election? What keeps you up at night?

My biggest concern is not having enough Republican lawyers and observers on the ground and in the field making sure everyone is following the law. Everything is better in sunlight. We must have enough people to oversee the elections process and to challenge and correct mistakes. We need enough people volunteering in those roles.

What are your thoughts on the increasing personal attacks on conservative Supreme Court Justices? 

It is a very unfair, undemocratic, and nefarious attempt by the Left to influence the conservative Justices on the Court. In the case of Justice Thomas, they are trying to stress him out enough to leave. They are trying to undermine public confidence in the Court. But our conservative Justices are not going to be bullied off the field, particularly Justice Thomas who grew up in the segregated South. So, the Left’s efforts are in vain. They will not be effective.