FreedomWorks recently announced the launch of the American Freedom Initiative (AFI), a collaboration headed by former acting U.S. Attorney General Matt Whitaker. This project aims to help relieve injustices committed against Americans under the criminal justice system and the regulatory state. As part of this project, we will shine a spotlight on some of the individuals the AFI has identified under its National Pardon Project as being particularly hard hit by unjustly harsh criminal sentences for non-violent crimes.

On behalf of FreedomWorks’ activist community, I urge you to contact your senators and ask them to co-sponsor the Reforming Qualified Immunity Act, S. 4036. Introduced by Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), the Reforming Qualified Immunity Act would restore the original intent of 42 U.S.C. 1983 and clarifies the judicial doctrine of qualified immunity created by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court may soon decide whether to accept several cases related to qualified immunity, a purely legal doctrine with no basis in federal statute that shields federal, state, and local officials who claim a “good faith” defense from civil actions in federal court when an individual’s rights are violated. Although police officers most often cited as examples of government officials who receive qualified immunity, it may apply to any government official.

FreedomWorks recently announced the launch of the American Freedom Initiative (AFI), a collaboration headed by former acting U.S. Attorney General Matt Whitaker. This project aims to help relieve injustices committed against Americans under the criminal justice system and the regulatory state. As part of this project, we will shine a spotlight on some of the individuals the AFI has identified under its National Pardon Project as being particularly hard hit by unjustly harsh criminal sentences for non-violent crimes.