The Rule of Law Defense Fund hosts a two-day summit in Atlanta. At least one of the sessions includes a “fast paced, productive series of war games” preparing state Attorney’s General offices for the “worst case scenario” if Donald Trump loses the 2020 election.
At least 30 senior staff to Republican Attorneys General across the country attend the summit in person, and at least 12 attend virtually. Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer is a known attendee. Sauer was appointed to his position by then-Missouri Attorney General and current U.S. Senator Josh Hawley.
Some other subjects discussed at the Senior Staff Summit include religious liberty, healthcare policy, Section 230, China, and the Obama administration.
Backstory
The Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF) is a subsidiary of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA). Both are dark money organizations that do not reveal their donors. Adam Piper is the executive director of RAGA at the time. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt are Chair and Vice Chair. RLDF is led by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.
Between July 2020 and January 2021, RLDF holds at least 30 meetings for senior staff in Republican Attorneys General offices across the country. Of those 30+ meetings, at least five are in December. Another meeting is held on January 5 before Adam Piper meets with Trump family and officials at the Trump International Hotel.
RAGA and RLDF are forced into the spotlight after reports that they made robocalls to Republican voters asking them to join the march to the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
This and other posts related to RAGA’s actions in 2020 were made possible by Elad Gross and the Sunshine and Government Accountability Project. Together, they made a public records request for communications between the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, RAGA, and RLDF. The result was 90 pages of emails and other documents that “provide a glimpse into how outside groups are influencing our local governments.”
You can read the full report written by constitutional and civil rights attorney Elad Gross at the link below.