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5-4

The Federalist Society, part 1: Immodest Origins

Jan 23, 2024
Explore the origins and evolution of the influential right-wing organization, the Federalist Society, its impact on law schools and judge selection. Learn about the rise of conservative legal foundations, the founding of the Federalist Society by law students, their motivation and financial backing. Discover the conservative movement's strategies regarding Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Uncover the factors behind the Federalist Society's success and its influence in judicial nominations.
01:11:10

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The Federalist Society started as a conservative student organization before expanding into a nationwide network and career pipeline for conservative lawyers.
  • The Federalist Society played a significant role in shaping judicial nominations during the George W. Bush administration, with many members appointed to key positions in the administration.

Deep dives

The Founding of the Federalist Society

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, conservative law students at Yale and Chicago felt isolated in their ideology on law school campuses. They organized a symposium at Yale Law School in 1982, which marked the founding of the Federalist Society. The symposium gained attention and drew interest from conservative law students at other universities across the country. With support from conservative foundations, the Federalist Society quickly expanded and became a platform for conservative legal thought. They started hosting debates and discussions on law school campuses, presenting themselves as a forum for diverse legal perspectives. The organization also began to develop close ties with prominent conservatives, such as Robert Bork and Antonin Scalia, and secured funding from conservative billionaire donors like the Olin and Skate foundations.

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