Russ Feingold will step down as president of the American Constitution Society

Senator Russ Feingold announced this week that he will step down as president of the American Constitution Society (ACS) in April 2025, leaving theposition he held since 2020, guiding the organization through significant challenges and achievements.

“It is an honor to lead the American Constitution Society at such a crucial time for our democracy,” said Feingold. “The last four years have seen ACS and its outstanding staff prevail through the pandemic, lead the national movement for Supreme Court Reform, and help the White House and Senate make history in the professional and demographic diversity of the federal court. We are in the midst of an existential crisis for our democracy, and I am committed to ensuring that we at ACS do everything we can to ensure democracy prevails. While I will be stepping down in 2025, I will continue to support this great organization for many years to come.”

Roscoe Jones, Chair of the ACS Board of Directors, praised Feingold’s contributions: “Russ has turned ACS into a progressive powerhouse. His leadership has been instrumental to the organization and in working with the White House and Senate to ensure our courts are filled with diverse and talented jurists, which has resulted in the most diverse federal bench appointees in history.”

Michele Goodwin, a member of the ACS Board of Directors, highlighted Feingold’s impact: “Russ joined ACS with a singular message: courts matter. The last few years have been one glaring example after another of how true that is. With Russ’s leadership, ACS has met the moment and mobilized the progressive legal movement around judicial appointments. We now have a national infrastructure for identifying and supporting diverse, qualified judicial candidates. We have a progressive judicial pipeline that will help ensure we achieve a judiciary that reflects the diversity of the public it serves.”

Ambassador (ret.) Keith M. Harper, ACS Board of Directors member and Chair of the Search Committee, added, “The national conversation underway about how we restore legitimacy to the Supreme Court and preserve the rule of law is in no small part because of ACS’s work over the past four years under Russ’s leadership. His departure will be an enormous loss, but we are exceedingly grateful that he will remain President for another year to ensure continuity of leadership at this vital time for the courts and our Nation.”

During Feingold’s tenure, ACS has solidified its role as a key advocate for court reform and judicial diversity. Key accomplishments include:

• Judicial Diversity: ACS identified, recruited, and recommended diverse, qualified candidates for the federal bench through its 55 ACS Path to the Bench working groups in 42 states. One-third of the federal judges appointed by the Biden-Harris Administration were identified and recommended by ACS.
• Supreme Court Reform: Positioned ACS as the leading progressive voice advocating for Supreme Court Reform and helped bring the issue from the margins to the mainstream.
• Public Engagement: Enhanced the public’s understanding and tracking of the federal judicial confirmation process through the expansion of real-time data on the ACS website, including diversity and Senate vote data.
• Electoral Initiatives: Launched the Run.Vote.Work. initiative aimed at combating the threat of election subversion, educating voters about the importance of down-ballot races, and connecting potential candidates with mentors.
• Racial Equity: Launched ACS’s Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation initiative aimed at educating the public and advocating for systemic changes to laws and legal systems that have perpetuated racial inequity in the country.
• Abolition Efforts: Led efforts to abolish the death penalty and pushed for the commutation of federal death row prisoners.
• Constitutional Awareness: Joined partners in sounding the alarm about a well-funded national campaign by far-right factions to radically rewrite the U.S. Constitution via an Article V Convention.
• National Outreach: Reinforced the focus on the ACS network throughout the states, including planning to host the first ACS National Convention outside of Washington, D.C., in June 2024.
• Support for Future Legal Professionals: Created the Trial Lawyers Student Initiative to fund signature programming at student chapters and expanded clerkship mentoring.
• Media Presence: Expanded ACS name recognition through increased media interviews, Op-Eds, partnerships, and the creation of the Broken Law podcast.
• Financial Growth: Raised its most total revenue in a year to just under $8.8 million and established the ACS Endowment, securing almost $3 million in contributions and pledges.

Feingold’s Legacy and Next Steps

Feingold, a former U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, has had a distinguished career in public service. He served in the Senate from 1993 to 2011 and was known for his work on the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCain–Feingold Act). Feingold was the only senator to vote against the Patriot Act in its initial passage and has been a notable figure in American politics for decades.

The ACS Board of Directors has formed a search committee, led by Ambassador (ret.) Keith M. Harper, to conduct a national search for Feingold’s successor. Feingold will remain in his role until April 1, 2025, ensuring a smooth transition for the organization.

The American Constitution Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan legal organization, continues its mission to support and advocate for laws and legal systems that strengthen democratic legitimacy, uphold the rule of law, and ensure equality for all, including historically excluded communities. For more information, visit www.acslaw.org.