Attorney General Alan Wilson stands against woke DEI practices

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Attorney General Alan Wilson joined West Virginia and 16 other states supporting a challenge to the New Jersey State Bar Association’s DEI quotas for its leadership board.

The States argue that the N.J. State Bar Association is using the First Amendment as an excuse to discriminate based on race. The association sets aside leadership seats for certain preferred racial groups.

“Racial quotas are not protected by the First Amendment and are unlawful,” Attorney General Wilson stated. “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.”

The Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment protects speech and expressive association. However, the States point out that not all conduct is “speech” and not all association is expressive. “Diversity” goals provide no constitutionally coherent reason to engage in otherwise unlawful race and sex discrimination.

In addition to South Carolina, attorneys general from the following states joined the West Virginia-led filing: Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas.

The full amicus brief can be read here.