Donald Trump isn’t the only one hiring this week. So are House conservatives, who just gave the party a huge boost by tapping longtime FRC friend and supporter, Congressman Mark Meadows (R-NC), to head up the influential Freedom Caucus. Mark, who takes over for another good friend and stalwart, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), has been a rising star in the Republican Party since his election just four years ago. A successful businessman in his own right, he saw the need for principled leadership in Congress after years of involvement with FRC, running for the seat in North Carolina’s 11th District, where he won in a very crowded primary.

Now, on the verge of his third term, Mark has earned the respect of conservatives — and his party — for demanding less talk and more action on key Republican priorities. An outspoken voice for the party’s base, his chairmanship will ensure that true conservatives principles will not be forgotten — nor will conservatives be taken for granted — in this new chapter of congressional control. “The voters of this country sent an abundantly clear message on November 8th that they feel as though Washington does not represent them,” Mark told reporters after he won. “Now, it’s time for Washington to do what it has failed to do for decades — listen.”

Of course, most people know Congressman Meadows not just for his work on life, marriage, religious liberty and the economy but for his key role in the ouster of House Speaker John Boehner. Frustrated by the leader’s refusal to follow through on fundamental promises to the American people, Mark — along with a handful of other conservatives — introduced a resolution to declare the speaker’s seat vacant. And while the bill didn’t get a vote, it did lead to the wave of opposition that ultimately forced Boehner to step down. For too long, conservatives, who consistently delivered the majority for Republicans, had been marginalized by the centrists who’ve held the majority of leadership positions. Thanks to people like Rep. Meadows, more members took a stand, demanding that leadership hold the line on core values — the same values that led to the wave of GOP success in 2014. As Mark understands, it’s not only in America’s best interest but the leadership’s to have well-rounded conservatives in the highest positions — men and women who are unapologetically strong on all three legs of the Republican stool: economic, social and defense issues.

That’s especially important now as the GOP gets to work with a clear mandate from the American people. With a new administration in town, Mark’s chairmanship over one of the most powerful conservative blocs in the House should be reassuring to everyone concerned about keeping the party in check on fundamental principles. Like us, he knows that the opportunity before Republicans is a unique one — and we can think of no better person to help hold the House accountable. Rep. Jordan, who left big shoes to fill, believes the caucus is in good hands under his North Carolina friend. “I know that Mark has a passion for conservative principles and for serving his district and ordinary Americans across the country who feel forgotten by Washington,” he said in a statement.

The bottom line is this: Even one person can make a difference. Mark Meadows sat in on FRC’s policy briefings for years. Now, just a few short years later, he’s delivering them. Our sincere congratulations as he takes the wheel of the Freedom Caucus at this historic moment for Congress — and our country.

Originally published here.

Class Is in Sessions

For President-elect Donald Trump and company, the election may have been the easy part! Now that the real work of assembling a solid team has begun, so has the Left’s opposition. The first few months of the Trump administration will be crucial — a fact the Democrats know all too well. Already, they’re laying the groundwork for a long and drawn out battle over some of Trump’s key cabinet selections, like U.S. Attorney General pick Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.). The Alabama senator, who has a stellar record as both a senator and state attorney general, is the first of many targets for Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s party (D-NY). Dredging up tired soundbites and manufactured controversies, the Left hopes to mire Sessions in a messy and unnecessary confirmation fight.

Unfortunately, this is what we can expect from the sore losers on the Left, who have no desire to get along or negotiate for a better America. Instead, their only interest is creating more division at a time when most voters just want to move forward and put the years of Obama’s liberal policies in the rear-view mirror. Still, liberals will do what they can to demonize Sessions, who has been one of the most respected members of the chamber for decades. In a bit of good news, Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has already signaled his support for the True Bluer, which would put Sessions over the simple majority threshold he needs for confirmation.

Anticipating a fight, five former attorneys general and five former deputy attorneys general who worked for Republican administrations are backing Sessions’s nomination in a letter to the Judiciary Committee’s members.

“All of us know [Sessions] as a person of honesty and integrity, who has held himself to the highest ethical standards throughout his career, and is guided always by a deep and abiding sense of duty to this nation and its founding charter,” they write. “Based on our collective and extensive experience, we also know him to be a person of unwavering dedication to the mission of the department — to assure that our country is governed by the fair and even-handed rule of law.”

In the meantime, we continue to stand with Sessions as he sets to work restoring the Justice Department’s reputation as one that upholds the law — not circumvents or undermines it. FRC couldn’t be happier to watch him usher in a new era at DOJ — one that cherishes the Constitution and its protection of our freedom from government oppression. If there’s one thing we know about Senator Sessions, it’s that he understands the importance of all of our God-given rights, respects the law, and will be a vital part of restoring our nation to greatness. That should be a welcomed change for all Americans!

Originally published here.

This is a publication of the Family Research Council. Mr. Perkins is president of FRC.