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|Founder(s) =  
|Founder(s) =  
|Year founded = 1995
|Year founded = 1995
|Employees = 91
|Employees =  
|Website = http://www.brennancenter.org/
|Website = http://www.brennancenter.org/
|Policies = [[Campaign finance regulation|Campaign finance reform]], Voting rights, Criminal justice reform
|Policies =  
|FY 2016 budget =
|Connections =  
|FY 2015 budget =
}}{{tnr}}The '''Brennan Center for Justice''' is a [[nonprofit organization|nonprofit]] law and policy institute at the New York University (NYU) School of Law. According to its website, the Brennan Center for Justice "works to build an America that is democratic, just, and free — for all." The organization describes itself as a think tank, advocacy group, and communications hub.<ref>[https://www.brennancenter.org/about/mission-impact ''Brennan Center for Justice'', "Mission & Impact," accessed July 22, 2025]</ref>
|FY 2014 budget = $8,769,280
|FY 2013 budget = $9,507,981
|FY 2012 budget = $10,241,670
|FY 2011 budget = $6,744,828
|FY 2010 budget =
|Member = Robert A. Atkins, Patricia Bauman, Nancy Brennan, Adam B. Cox, John Ferejohn, Gail Furman, Susan Sachs Goldman, Danielle C. Gray, Helen Hershkoff, James E. Johnson, Thomas M. Jorde, Daniel F. Kolb, Ruth Lazarus, Paul Lightfoot, Trevor Morrison, Erin Murphy, Wendy Neu, Burt Neuborne, Lawrence B. Pedowitz, Steven A. Reiss, Richard Revesz, Hon. Stephen C. Robinson, Gerald Rosenfeld, Stephen Schulhofer, John Sexton, Christine A. Varney, Michael Waldman, Scott Wallace, Adam Winkler, Kenji Yoshino
|Member collapse = yes
|Connections = [[The Campaign Legal Center|Campaign Legal Center]], [[Open Society Foundations]], [[Democracy 21]], [[Common Cause]]
}}{{tnr}}The '''Brennan Center for Justice''' is a [[nonprofit organization|nonprofit]] law and policy institute "that seeks to improve our systems of democracy and justice" by focusing on voting rights, campaign finance reform and other topics. The organization's mission statement is:<ref name=mission>[https://www.brennancenter.org/about ''Brennan Center for Justice'', "Our Mission," accessed April 17, 2015]</ref>


{{Quote|The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that seeks to improve our systems of democracy and justice. We work to hold our political institutions and laws accountable to the twin American ideals of democracy and equal justice for all. The Center’s work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from ending mass incarceration to preserving Constitutional protection in the fight against terrorism. Part think tank, part advocacy group, part cutting-edge communications hub, we start with rigorous research. We craft innovative policies. And we fight for them — in Congress and the states, the courts, and in the court of public opinion.}}
==Background==
The Brennan Center for Justice was founded in 1995 by family and former clerks of former Supreme Court Justice [[William Brennan (U.S. Supreme Court)|William Brennan]]. Michael Waldamn, who served in the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton White House]], was selected to lead the institute.<ref>[https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/legacy/Democracy/CFR/CFRVolume_AbouttheBrennanCenter.pdf ''Brennan Center for Justice,'' "About the Brennan Center for Justice," accessed March 11, 2015]</ref><ref>[http://www.law.uchicago.edu/alumni/magazine/fall10/strauss ''University of Chicago, The Law School'', "The Living Constitution," accessed March 20, 2015]</ref><ref>[http://www.brennancenter.org/expert/michael-waldman ''Brennan Center for Justice'', "Michael Waldman Bio," accessed March 20, 2015]</ref>
 
==Leadership==
As of July 2025, the following individuals held leadership positions at the Brennan Center for Justice:<ref>[https://www.brennancenter.org/about/leadership ''Brennan Center for Justice'', "Leadership," accessed July 22, 2025]</ref>


==Background==
“We current Justices read the Constitution in the only way that we can: as twentieth century Americans. We look to the history of the time of framing and to the intervening history of interpretation. But the ultimate question must be, what do the words of the text mean in our time. For the genius of the Constitution rests not in any static meaning it might have had in a world that is dead and gone, but in the adaptability of its great principles to cope with current problems and current needs." So said [[William J. Brennan|Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan]] in a speech to the Text and Teaching Symposium at Georgetown University on October 12, 1985. Heralded as one of the most influential and progressive justices of the twentieth century, Brennan's legacy lives on in the work of the eponymous Brennan Center for Justice.<ref>[http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/democracy/sources_document7.html ''PBS.org'', "Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. Speech given at the Text and Teaching Symposium, Georgetown University," October 12, 1985]</ref><ref>[http://www.theprogressiveprofessor.com/?tag=william-brennan ''The Progressive Professor'', "REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTS AND TEN EXCEPTIONAL SUPREME COURT APPOINTMENTS SINCE 1900!" February 8, 2015]</ref>


The center, founded in 1995 by the family and former clerks of Brennan, is a nonpartisan law and policy institute at New York University (NYU) School of Law led by Michael Waldman. Waldman previously served in the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton White House]], with one of his roles being the top White House policy aide on campaign finance reform. The institute works toward Brennan's idea of a living constitution, which is one that changes over time based on the progression of societal ideals without being formally amended.<ref>[https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/legacy/Democracy/CFR/CFRVolume_AbouttheBrennanCenter.pdf ''Brennan Center for Justice,'' "About the Brennan Center for Justice," accessed March 11, 2015]</ref><ref>[http://www.law.uchicago.edu/alumni/magazine/fall10/strauss ''University of Chicago, The Law School'', "The Living Constitution," accessed March 20, 2015]</ref><ref>[http://www.brennancenter.org/expert/michael-waldman ''Brennan Center for Justice'', "Michael Waldman Bio," accessed March 20, 2015]</ref>
*Michael Waldman, President and CEO Office of the President
*John Anthony, Chief Operating Officer Finance & Operations
*Jeanine Chirlin, Chief of Staff Office of the President
*Kareem Crayton, Vice President, Washington, DC Office of the President
*Jaemin Kim, Vice President Development
*John F. Kowal, Vice President, Program Initiatives
*Chisun Lee, Deputy Executive Director
*Christine Mellampe, Chief Human Resources Officer Human Resources
*Elisa Miller, General Counsel
*Lawrence Norden, Vice President Elections & Government
*Wendy R. Weiser, Vice President Democracy
*Pinky Weitzman, Vice President Communications


==Areas of influence==
==Work and activities==
The Brennan Center specifically focuses on five issues: voting rights and elections, money in politics, government and court reform, justice for all and liberty and national security. The institute also conducts research and advocates for or against court cases, policy proposals, legislation and a "new constitutional vision."<ref name=mission/>
As of July 2025, the Brennan Center for Justice listed the following as policy issues they address:<ref>[https://www.brennancenter.org/issues ''Brennan Center for Justice'', "Issues," accessed July 22, 2025]</ref>


==Notable work==
{{quote|
===New York judicial selection===
'''Voting Rights'''<br>
One of the more high-profile legal proceedings the institute become involved with was the New York Judicial selection challenge. The Brennan Center for Justice, along with pro bono counsel ''Arnold & Porter LLP'' and ''Jenner & Block LLP'', argued that New York's method of judicial selection was unconstitutional because it didn't allow the people to vote for who represents them. The controversy over judicial elections that led to the case, ''Lopez Torres v. New York State Board of Elections'', started after the refusal of party officials to nominate Judge [[Margarita Lopez Torres|Margarita López Torres]] to the [[New York Supreme Court]].  In February 2007, the [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]] agreed to review the case.<ref>[http://www.brennancenter.org/legal-work/lopez-torres-v-nys-board-elections ''Brennan Center for Justice,'' "Lopez Torres v. NYS Board of Elections," January 16, 2008]</ref><ref>[http://www.brennancenter.org/press-release/us-judge-overturns-new-york-state-judicial-election-process-brennan-center-lawsuit ''Brennan Center for Justice,'' "U.S. Judge Overturns New York State Judicial Election Process in Brennan Center Lawsuit," January 27, 2006]</ref>
Voting is the most basic right in our democracy, but people still face many barriers to the process. The Brennan Center is fighting on every front through legislative advocacy, litigation, and cutting-edge research to ensure that all eligible Americans can cast a ballot.


In an article a year later, the ''New York Times'' reported that a federal appeals court decision declared New York State’s judicial nominating system unconstitutional. Judge López Torres said, “I wasn’t happy when the U.S. Supreme Court took the case, and after sitting through the oral arguments in October, I didn’t have the feeling that we were going to win. It was a disappointment, but I’m not a cynical person. Usually judicial elections are under the radar, so if there’s one thing my case has accomplished, it’s been to open a dialogue on an open secret.”<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/nyregion/25lives.html ''The New York Times,'' "Blazing a Trail, and Following Her Own Sense of What’s Right," January 25, 2008]</ref> Frederick A.O. Schwarz, Jr., Senior Counsel for the Brennan Center for Justice, said of the case: "The plaintiffs are considering further litigation options. In the meantime, we urge the political, civic, and bar leaders who stood up for reform to continue to stand with us, demanding legislation that will end the closed process, which has, for too long, undermined public confidence in New York's courts."<ref>[http://www.brennancenter.org/press-release/plaintiffs-counsel-supreme-court-decision-lopez-torres-v-nys-board-elections ''Brennan Center for Justice'', "Plaintiff's Counsel on Supreme Court Decision in Lopez Torres v. NYS Board of Elections," January 16, 2008]</ref>
'''Defend Our Elections'''<br>
Conducting fair elections requires secure systems and independent administration of the casting and counting of votes. That’s why the Brennan Center advocates for a comprehensive plan to upgrade technology and safeguard election integrity, including the protection of election officials from harassment and political interference.


===Voter registration===
'''Gerrymandering & Fair Representation'''<br>
The Center itself has identified modernizing the voter registration system as its "signature proposal." Proponents of the voter registration overhaul believe voter registration is flawed and leads to "Election Day chaos." Overhauling the system via the Brennan Center's proposal would, according to its website, "harness proven technology to ensure that every eligible voter is permanently registered. The move would add 50 million to the rolls, cost less, and curb the potential for fraud."<ref>[http://www.brennancenter.org/voter-registration-modernization ''Brennan Center for Justice'', "Voter Registration Modernization," accessed April 8, 2015]</ref>
Voters are supposed to choose candidates. But when lawmakers draw district lines to entrench one party’s political power, some votes count more than others. The Brennan Center’s solutions: independent redistricting commissions in every state and legal protections against extreme gerrymandering.


==Opposition==
'''Reform Money in Politics'''<br>
===The National Center for Public Policy Research===
Americans are fed up with the role of big money in political campaigns. The Brennan Center’s solution: small donor public financing to put power back in the hands of individuals.
In 2012, Justin Danhof of the National Center for Public Policy Research—a group described as a conservative communications and research foundation on its website—stated, "The Brennan Center is on a mission to undermine support for voter integrity measures, claiming that state-level voter ID provisions will disfranchise millions of voters and that voter fraud rarely occurs. However, some of its major reports concerning voter ID measures and voter fraud are wrought with bias and have been refuted by election scholars." The group also claimed that the Brennan Center had received at least $7 million from progressive activist George Soros.<ref name=report>[http://www.nationalcenter.org/PR-Brennan_Center_072612.html ''National Center for Public Policy Research'', "Report Exposes Brennan Center for Justice's Biased Reporting and Liberal Funding, New GroupSnoop.org Profile of the Brennan Center for Justice Released, Leading Opponent of Voter Integrity Measures is Financed By George Soros," July 26, 2012]</ref><ref>[http://www.mrc.org/articles/soros-backed-voting-study-promoted-soros-funded-media ''MRC Business'', "Soros-Backed Voting Study Promoted By Soros-Funded Media," October 6, 2011]</ref><ref>[http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,986919-1,00.html ''Time'', "Turning Dollars into Change," September 1, 1997]</ref>


==="Citizens Without Proof"===
'''Strengthen Our Courts'''<br>
In its 2012 report, the National Center for Public Policy Research stated the following about a 2006 report by the Brennan Center entitled "Citizens Without Proof":<ref name=report/>
Our courts should be bulwarks to protect civil rights, democratic values, and the rule of law — but increasingly, the promise of evenhanded justice is at risk. The Brennan Center is fighting back with bold solutions for judicial reform.


{{Quote|For example, in November 2006, the Brennan Center published a widely cited report, 'Citizens Without Proof,' in which it claimed that 21 million adult Americans lack a photo ID, including 25 percent of black Americans. Election scholars with the Heritage Foundation evaluated the report and concluded that '[b]y eschewing many of the traditional scientific methods of data collection and analysis, the authors of the Brennan Center study appear to have pursued results that advance a particular political agenda rather than the truth about voter identification.'|author=National Center for Public Policy Research}}
'''End Mass Incarceration'''<br>
The United States has less than 5 percent of the world’s population, yet nearly 25 percent of its prisoners. Mass incarceration has crushing consequences — racial, economic, social — and it doesn’t make us safer. The Brennan Center creates innovative solutions, driven by data, to end mass incarceration.


Hans von Spakovsky and Alex Ingram of the Heritage Foundation also stated that "Citizens Without Proof" was "dubious in its methodology and results and suspect in its sweeping conclusions."<ref name=Heritage>[https://www.heritage.org/government-regulation/report/without-proof-the-unpersuasive-case-against-voter-identification ''The Heritage Foundation'', "Without Proof: The Unpersuasive Case Against Voter Identification," August 24, 2011]</ref>
'''Protect Liberty & Security'''<br>
Security and freedom go together. The Brennan Center confronts abuses of executive power and works for national security policies that ensure Americans’ safety while protecting our rights to privacy, free speech, and government transparency.


Wendy R. Weiser, Keesha Gaskins, and Sundeep Iyer of the Brennan Center for Justice responded to von Spakovsky and Ingram's claims with an article entitled "'Citizens Without Proof' Stands Strong," in which they stated:<ref name=Strong>[https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/citizens-without-proof-stands-strong ''Brennan Center for Justice'', ""Citizens Without Proof" Stands Strong," September 8, 2011]</ref>
'''Bolster Checks & Balances'''<br>
Our government was designed to withstand the influence of corrupt officials, a recalcitrant Congress, and excessive presidential authority. But without constant attention to those guardrails, the norms of democracy are threatened.


{{Quote|
'''Advance Constitutional Change'''<br>
Since its publication, Citizens Without Proof has been widely cited by scholars, legal experts, and the media, and its findings have been widely accepted. ...  
The Constitution was designed to change with the times, while preserving the promise of justice, equality, and liberty for all. The Brennan Center is dedicated to making sure it does just that.
}}
===Legislative and policy work===
====New York judicial selection====
:''See also: [[Judicial selection in New York]]''
The institute was involved in a challenge to New York's judicial selection laws in 2007. The Brennan Center for Justice, along with pro bono counsel ''Arnold & Porter LLP'' and ''Jenner & Block LLP'', argued that New York's method of judicial selection was unconstitutional because it didn't allow the people to vote for who represents them. The case, ''Lopez Torres v. New York State Board of Elections'', started after the refusal of party officials to nominate Judge [[Margarita Lopez Torres|Margarita López Torres]] to the [[New York Supreme Court]].  In February 2007, the [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]] agreed to review the case.<ref>[http://www.brennancenter.org/legal-work/lopez-torres-v-nys-board-elections ''Brennan Center for Justice,'' "Lopez Torres v. NYS Board of Elections," January 16, 2008]</ref><ref>[http://www.brennancenter.org/press-release/us-judge-overturns-new-york-state-judicial-election-process-brennan-center-lawsuit ''Brennan Center for Justice,'' "U.S. Judge Overturns New York State Judicial Election Process in Brennan Center Lawsuit," January 27, 2006]</ref>


It is for good reason that Citizens Without Proof remains the foremost study of the number of voting Americans who lack government-issued photo ID and citizenship documentation.}}
In an article a year later, ''The New York Times'' reported that a federal appeals court decision declared New York State’s judicial nominating system unconstitutional. Judge López Torres said, “I wasn’t happy when the U.S. Supreme Court took the case, and after sitting through the oral arguments in October, I didn’t have the feeling that we were going to win. It was a disappointment, but I’m not a cynical person. Usually judicial elections are under the radar, so if there’s one thing my case has accomplished, it’s been to open a dialogue on an open secret.”<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/nyregion/25lives.html ''The New York Times,'' "Blazing a Trail, and Following Her Own Sense of What’s Right," January 25, 2008]</ref> Frederick A.O. Schwarz, Jr., Senior Counsel for the Brennan Center for Justice, said of the case: "The plaintiffs are considering further litigation options. In the meantime, we urge the political, civic, and bar leaders who stood up for reform to continue to stand with us, demanding legislation that will end the closed process, which has, for too long, undermined public confidence in New York's courts."<ref>[http://www.brennancenter.org/press-release/plaintiffs-counsel-supreme-court-decision-lopez-torres-v-nys-board-elections ''Brennan Center for Justice'', "Plaintiff's Counsel on Supreme Court Decision in Lopez Torres v. NYS Board of Elections," January 16, 2008]</ref>


==Recent news==
==Notable endorsements==
This section links to a Google news search for the term "'''Brennan + Center + for + Justice'''"
<APIWidget where='endorser_organization=21665' template='EndorsementsByEndorser' />


{{RSS|feed=http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&gl=us&q=Brennan+Center+for+Justice&um=1&ie=UTF-8&output=rss|template=slpfeed|max=10|title=Brennan Center for Justice News Feed}}
== Finances ==
The following is a breakdown of the Brennan Center for Justice's revenues and expenses from 2011 to 2024. The information comes from [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133839293 ProPublica]
<datatable caption="Brennan Center for Justice financial data 2011-2024">
! align="left"|Year
! Revenue 
! Expenses
|-
| 2011||$6.8 million ||$6.6 million
|-
| 2012||$10.2 million ||$7.6 million
|-
| 2013||$9.4 million ||$10.4 million
|-
| 2014||$8.9 million ||$11.0 million
|-
| 2015 ||$15.2 million||$12.4 million
|-
| 2016 ||$14.2 million ||$13.5 million
|-
| 2017 ||$24.1 million ||$14.9 million
|-
| 2018||$23.7 million ||$17.7 million
|-
| 2019||$26.2 million ||$22.1 million
|-
| 2020||$84.5 million ||$25.8 million
|-
| 2021||$101.3 million ||$30.9 million
|-
| 2022||$45.1 million ||$33.3 million
|-
| 2023||$110.5 million ||$41.7 million
|-
| 2024||$57.9 million ||$50.6 million
</datatable>


==See also==
==See also==
* [[What is an influencer|What is an influencer?]]
*[[William Brennan (U.S. Supreme Court)]]
*[[William Brennan (U.S. Supreme Court)]]
*[[Open Society Institute]]
*[[Justice at Stake]]
*[[Democracy Alliance]]


==External links==
==External links==
Line 75: Line 119:
*[http://www.brennancenter.org/ Brennan Center for Justice official website]
*[http://www.brennancenter.org/ Brennan Center for Justice official website]
*[https://www.facebook.com/BrennanCenter Brennan Center for Justice on Facebook]
*[https://www.facebook.com/BrennanCenter Brennan Center for Justice on Facebook]
*[https://twitter.com/BrennanCenter Brennan Center for Justice on Twitter]
*[https://bsky.app/profile/brennancenter.org Brennan Center for Justice on Bluesky]
*[https://www.youtube.com/profile?user=TheBrennanCenter Brennan Center for Justice on YouTube]
*[https://www.youtube.com/user/TheBrennanCenter Brennan Center for Justice on YouTube]
*[http://www.brennancenter.org/publications Brennan Center publications]
*[https://www.instagram.com/brennancenter Brennan Center for Justice on Instagram]
*[https://www.tiktok.com/@brennancenter Brennan Center for Justice on TikTok]
*[https://brennancenter.substack.com/ Brennan Center for Justice on Substack]
*[https://www.instagram.com/brennancenter Brennan Center for Justice on Instagram]


==Footnotes==
==Footnotes==
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist|2}}
{{Influencers HNT}}


[[Category:National influencers]][[Category:organizations]][[Category:501(c)(3)]][[Category:Progressive influencers]][[Category:Democracy Alliance]][[Category:Ballot access policy influencers]][[Category:Civil rights policy influencers]][[Category:Redistricting policy influencers]]
[[Category:National influencers]][[Category:organizations]][[Category:501(c)(3)]][[Category:Progressive influencers]][[Category:Democracy Alliance]][[Category:Ballot access policy influencers]][[Category:Civil rights policy influencers]][[Category:Redistricting policy influencers]]
[[Category:Active influencers]]
[[Category:Active influencers]]

Latest revision as of 18:26, 22 July 2025

Brennan Center for Justice
BrennanCenterJustice.png
Basic facts
Location:New York
Washington, D.C.
Type:501(c)(3)
Top official:Michael Waldman
Year founded:1995
Website:Official website

The Brennan Center for Justice is a nonprofit law and policy institute at the New York University (NYU) School of Law. According to its website, the Brennan Center for Justice "works to build an America that is democratic, just, and free — for all." The organization describes itself as a think tank, advocacy group, and communications hub.[1]

Background

The Brennan Center for Justice was founded in 1995 by family and former clerks of former Supreme Court Justice William Brennan. Michael Waldamn, who served in the Clinton White House, was selected to lead the institute.[2][3][4]

Leadership

As of July 2025, the following individuals held leadership positions at the Brennan Center for Justice:[5]


  • Michael Waldman, President and CEO Office of the President
  • John Anthony, Chief Operating Officer Finance & Operations
  • Jeanine Chirlin, Chief of Staff Office of the President
  • Kareem Crayton, Vice President, Washington, DC Office of the President
  • Jaemin Kim, Vice President Development
  • John F. Kowal, Vice President, Program Initiatives
  • Chisun Lee, Deputy Executive Director
  • Christine Mellampe, Chief Human Resources Officer Human Resources
  • Elisa Miller, General Counsel
  • Lawrence Norden, Vice President Elections & Government
  • Wendy R. Weiser, Vice President Democracy
  • Pinky Weitzman, Vice President Communications

Work and activities

As of July 2025, the Brennan Center for Justice listed the following as policy issues they address:[6]

“

Voting Rights
Voting is the most basic right in our democracy, but people still face many barriers to the process. The Brennan Center is fighting on every front through legislative advocacy, litigation, and cutting-edge research to ensure that all eligible Americans can cast a ballot.

Defend Our Elections
Conducting fair elections requires secure systems and independent administration of the casting and counting of votes. That’s why the Brennan Center advocates for a comprehensive plan to upgrade technology and safeguard election integrity, including the protection of election officials from harassment and political interference.

Gerrymandering & Fair Representation
Voters are supposed to choose candidates. But when lawmakers draw district lines to entrench one party’s political power, some votes count more than others. The Brennan Center’s solutions: independent redistricting commissions in every state and legal protections against extreme gerrymandering.

Reform Money in Politics
Americans are fed up with the role of big money in political campaigns. The Brennan Center’s solution: small donor public financing to put power back in the hands of individuals.

Strengthen Our Courts
Our courts should be bulwarks to protect civil rights, democratic values, and the rule of law — but increasingly, the promise of evenhanded justice is at risk. The Brennan Center is fighting back with bold solutions for judicial reform.

End Mass Incarceration
The United States has less than 5 percent of the world’s population, yet nearly 25 percent of its prisoners. Mass incarceration has crushing consequences — racial, economic, social — and it doesn’t make us safer. The Brennan Center creates innovative solutions, driven by data, to end mass incarceration.

Protect Liberty & Security
Security and freedom go together. The Brennan Center confronts abuses of executive power and works for national security policies that ensure Americans’ safety while protecting our rights to privacy, free speech, and government transparency.

Bolster Checks & Balances
Our government was designed to withstand the influence of corrupt officials, a recalcitrant Congress, and excessive presidential authority. But without constant attention to those guardrails, the norms of democracy are threatened.

Advance Constitutional Change
The Constitution was designed to change with the times, while preserving the promise of justice, equality, and liberty for all. The Brennan Center is dedicated to making sure it does just that. [7]

”

Legislative and policy work

New York judicial selection

See also: Judicial selection in New York

The institute was involved in a challenge to New York's judicial selection laws in 2007. The Brennan Center for Justice, along with pro bono counsel Arnold & Porter LLP and Jenner & Block LLP, argued that New York's method of judicial selection was unconstitutional because it didn't allow the people to vote for who represents them. The case, Lopez Torres v. New York State Board of Elections, started after the refusal of party officials to nominate Judge Margarita López Torres to the New York Supreme Court. In February 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the case.[8][9]

In an article a year later, The New York Times reported that a federal appeals court decision declared New York State’s judicial nominating system unconstitutional. Judge López Torres said, “I wasn’t happy when the U.S. Supreme Court took the case, and after sitting through the oral arguments in October, I didn’t have the feeling that we were going to win. It was a disappointment, but I’m not a cynical person. Usually judicial elections are under the radar, so if there’s one thing my case has accomplished, it’s been to open a dialogue on an open secret.”[10] Frederick A.O. Schwarz, Jr., Senior Counsel for the Brennan Center for Justice, said of the case: "The plaintiffs are considering further litigation options. In the meantime, we urge the political, civic, and bar leaders who stood up for reform to continue to stand with us, demanding legislation that will end the closed process, which has, for too long, undermined public confidence in New York's courts."[11]

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope. Know of one we missed? Click here to let us know.

Finances

The following is a breakdown of the Brennan Center for Justice's revenues and expenses from 2011 to 2024. The information comes from ProPublica

Brennan Center for Justice financial data 2011-2024
Year Revenue Expenses
2011 $6.8 million $6.6 million
2012 $10.2 million $7.6 million
2013 $9.4 million $10.4 million
2014 $8.9 million $11.0 million
2015 $15.2 million $12.4 million
2016 $14.2 million $13.5 million
2017 $24.1 million $14.9 million
2018 $23.7 million $17.7 million
2019 $26.2 million $22.1 million
2020 $84.5 million $25.8 million
2021 $101.3 million $30.9 million
2022 $45.1 million $33.3 million
2023 $110.5 million $41.7 million
2024 $57.9 million $50.6 million

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Mission & Impact," accessed July 22, 2025
  2. ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "About the Brennan Center for Justice," accessed March 11, 2015
  3. ↑ University of Chicago, The Law School, "The Living Constitution," accessed March 20, 2015
  4. ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Michael Waldman Bio," accessed March 20, 2015
  5. ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Leadership," accessed July 22, 2025
  6. ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Issues," accessed July 22, 2025
  7. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  8. ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Lopez Torres v. NYS Board of Elections," January 16, 2008
  9. ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "U.S. Judge Overturns New York State Judicial Election Process in Brennan Center Lawsuit," January 27, 2006
  10. ↑ The New York Times, "Blazing a Trail, and Following Her Own Sense of What’s Right," January 25, 2008
  11. ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Plaintiff's Counsel on Supreme Court Decision in Lopez Torres v. NYS Board of Elections," January 16, 2008
v • e
Influencers
MainInfluencer Project Badge.png
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