South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined West Virginia and 16 other states on Mar. 25 in supporting a legal challenge against the New Jersey State Bar Association’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) quotas for its leadership board.
The coalition of states argues that the New Jersey State Bar Association is misusing the First Amendment to justify what they describe as discriminatory practices based on race. The association reportedly reserves certain leadership positions for specific racial groups.
“Racial quotas are not protected by the First Amendment and are unlawful,” Wilson said. “Many of those who promote ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ are judging people by their gender or the color of their skin, not by their character and contributions to the organization. We should be focused on merit, not woke politics.”
According to Wilson and other attorneys general involved in the filing, while the Free Speech Clause protects speech and expressive association, it does not shield all conduct or forms of association from scrutiny when it comes to discrimination claims related to race or sex.
In addition to South Carolina and West Virginia, attorneys general from Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas joined in submitting an amicus brief challenging these policies.
The South Carolina Attorney General supports victims of crime through advocacy efforts designed to enhance community safety according to its official website. The office serves as South Carolina’s primary legal advocate responsible for prosecutions and regulatory enforcement according to its official website. Alan Wilson has led this office as attorney general according to its official website, overseeing operations that extend across the state according to its official website. The office also enforces laws regarding securities regulation and consumer protection matters according to its official website while working with law enforcement agencies on criminal prosecutions according to its official website.
A full copy of the amicus brief filed by these states can be accessed online.
