Title: The Jefferson Statement Original CoS Document (slug): [[https://conventionofstates.com/files/the-jefferson-statement|the-jefferson-statement]] Login Required to view? No Attached File: COSA_JeffersonStatement_102023_eVersion.pdf On September 11, 2014, some of our nation’s finest legal minds convened to consider arguments for and against the use of Article V to restrain federal power. These experts specifically rejected the argument that a Convention of States is likely to be misused or improperly controlled by Congress, concluding instead that the mechanism provided by the Founders is safe. Moreover, they shared the conviction that Article V provides the only constitutionally effective means to restore our federal\rsystem. The conclusions of these prestigious experts are memorialized in The Jefferson Statement, which is reproduced here. The names and biographical information of the endorsers, who have formed a “Legal Board of Reference” for the Convention of States Project, are listed below the Statement\\ Created: 2017-07-06 07:08:54 Updated: 2023-10-20 15:51:44 Published: 2017-07-17 19:00:00 Converted: 2025-04-14T19:22:45.373720403 ---- {{:cb_mirror_public:media:files_4015_pdfto001.png?nolink&918x1188 |background image}} Signed, //         **The**// ** ** **JEFFERSON ** **   STATEMENT** //***Original signers of the Jefferson Statement**// //**WHEN THE NATION’S FINEST LEGAL MINDS**//** //gathered at the Jefferson Hotel in Washington, D.C. in //** //**2014, they set out to consider arguments for and against the use of Article V to restrain federal power. But \\ like the Founding Fathers in 1787, they soon realized that they agreed unanimously that the option of an **// //**Article V convention is safe, effective, and necessary.**// //**These experts, who subsequently signed the Jefferson Statement reproduced below, rejected the argument that an Article \\ V convention is likely to be misused or improperly controlled by Congress. They shared the conviction that Article V \\ provides the only constitutionally effective means to restore our federal system, and they formed the core of our Legal \\ Board of Reference, whose names you can find on the opposite side of this document.**// **THE  CONVENTION  OF  STATES**  mechanism   is  safe,  and  it  is  the  only  constitutionally \\ effective  means  available  to  do  what  is  so  essential  for our nation. The Constitution’s Framers foresaw a day when the federal \\ government would exceed and abuse its enumerated \\ powers, thus placing our liberty at risk. George Mason was \\ instrumental in fashioning a mechanism by which “we the \\ people” could defend our freedom—the ultimate check on \\ federal power contained in Article V of the Constitution. Article V provides the states with the opportunity to \\ propose constitutional amendments through a process \\ called a Convention of States. This process is controlled by \\ the states from beginning to end on all substantive matters. A Convention of States is convened when 34 state \\ legislatures pass resolutions (applications) on an agreed \\ topic or set of topics. The Convention is limited to \\ considering amendments on these specified topics. While some have expressed fears that a Convention of \\ States might be misused or improperly controlled by \\ Congress, it is our considered judgment that the checks  and balances in the Constitution are more than sufficient \\ to ensure the integrity of the process. The Convention of States mechanism is safe, and it is the \\ only constitutionally effective means available to do what is \\ so essential for our nation—restoring robust federalism with \\ genuine checks on the power of the federal government. We share the Founders’ conviction that proper decision-\\ making structures are essential to preserve liberty. We \\ believe that the problems facing our nation require \\ several structural limitations on the exercise of federal \\ power. While fiscal restraints are essential, we believe the \\ most effective course is to pursue reasonable limitations, \\ fully in line with the vision of our Founders, on the \\ federal government. Accordingly, I endorse the Convention of States Project, \\ which calls for an Article V Convention for “the sole \\ purpose of proposing amendments that impose fiscal \\ restraints on the federal government, limit the power and \\ jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms \\ of office for its officials and for members of Congress.” I \\ hereby agree to serve on the Legal Board of Reference for \\ the Convention of States Project. //**Randy E. Barnett*\\ Charles J. Cooper*\\ John C. Eastman*\\ Michael P. Farris***// //**Robert P. George*\\ C. Boyden Gray*\\ Mark Levin*\\ Nelson Lund**// //**Andrew McCarthy*\\ Mark Meckler*\\ Mat Staver**// {{:cb_mirror_public:media:files_4015_pdfto002.png?nolink&918x1188 |background image}} **Randy E. Barnett** is a \\ graduate of Harvard Law \\ School and a professor \\ at t he G eorgetow n \\ University Law Center.  He represented the National Federation of \\ Independent Business in its constitutional \\ challenge to the Affordable Care Act. **Charles J. Cooper** is a \\ founding member and \\ chairman of Cooper \\ & K i rk, PL LC. A \\ member of the Reagan \\ Administration, Mr. Cooper has argued \\ before the Supreme Court, and he \\ spent much of his career defending \\ constitutional rights as a top lawyer for \\ the National Rifle Association. **John C. Eastman** is the \\ Founding Director of the \\ Center for Constitutional \\ Jurisprudence, a public \\ interest law firm affiliated  with the Claremont Institute. Prior \\ to joining the Fowler School of Law \\ faculty, he served as a law clerk with \\ Justice Clarence Thomas at the Supreme \\ Court of the United States and served in \\ the Reagan administration. **Michael P. Farris** is the \\ Co-Founder and Senior \\ Advisor at Convention \\ of States Action. Mr. \\ Farris was the founding \\ president of the Home \\ School Legal Defense Association, where \\ he currently serves as Board Chairman. \\ He became the founding president of \\ Patrick Henry College in 2000, where he \\ currently serves as Chancellor Emeritus. \\ He has argued before the appellate \\ courts of 13 states, eight federal circuit \\ courts of appeals, and twice before the \\ Supreme Court of the United States. \\ Mr. Farris is largely known for his work \\ in constitutional appellate litigation, \\ religious freedom, homeschooling, and \\ political advocacy. **Andrew McCarthy **is a \\ bestselling author, a Senior \\ Fellow at National Review \\ Institute, and a contributing \\ editor at //National Review. // Mr. McCarthy is a former Chief Assistant \\ U.S. Attorney in New York. The late  **C. Boyden Gray**  was the founding partner of \\ Boyden Gray & Associates, \\ in Washington, D.C. Prior \\ to founding his law firm, \\ Ambassador Gray served as Legal Counsel \\ to Vice President Bush (1981–1989), as \\ White House Counsel in the administration \\ of President George H.W. Bush (1989–\\ 1993), and as counsel to the Presidential \\ Task Force on Regulatory Relief during the \\ Reagan Administration. **Mark Levin** is one of \\ America’s preeminent \\ constitutional lawyers and \\ the author of several New \\ York Times bestselling  books including Men in Black (2007), \\ Liberty and Tyranny (2010), Ameritopia \\ (2012), and The Liberty Amendments \\ (2013), which helped launch Convention \\ of States Action onto the national political \\ scene. In addition, he is the host of the \\ nationally-syndicated radio program The \\ Mark Levin Show and the top-rated Fox \\ News show //Life, Liberty & Levin.// Mr. \\ Levin has also served as a top advisor \\ to several members of President Ronald \\ Reagan’s Cabinet—including as Chief \\ of Staff to the Attorney General of the \\ United States, Edwin Meese. **Robert P. George**  is one of \\ the nation’s leading conser-\\ vative legal scholars and is \\ the founding director of the \\ James Madison Program \\ in American Ideals and Institutions. He is \\ chairman of the United States Commission \\ on International Religious Freedom (US-\\ CIRF) and has served as a presidential ap-\\ pointee to the United States Commission \\ on Civil Rights. **N e l s o n  L u n d** i s \\ University Professor at \\ George Mason University \\ School of Law. After \\ clerking for Justice Sandra  Day O’Connor, he served in the White \\ House as Associate Counsel to President \\ George H.W. Bush. **Mark Meckler**, (BA ’85/\\ JD ’88) is  President of \\ Convention  of  States \\ Act ion, home for t he \\ nation’s largest and most \\ active grassroots army, operating in all fifty \\ states. Mr. Meckler practiced business, \\ real estate, and internet law, and owned \\ and ran multiple businesses for over twenty \\ years. In 2009, he left the business and \\ legal world when he co-founded and served \\ as the National Coordinator of the Tea \\ Party Patriots. In 2013, he co-founded the \\ Convention of States Project with Michael \\ Farris, and has subsequently focused on \\ political and grassroots organizing and \\ constitutional law. **Mat Staver, **B.A. M.A., \\ J.D., B.C.S., serves as \\ Senior Pastor, Founder \\ and Chairman of Liberty \\ Counsel; Chairman of \\ Liberty Counsel Action,  Faith and Liberty, National Pro-life Center, \\ Freedom Federation, Salt & Light Council, \\ and National House of Hope; Founder and \\ Chairman of Liberty Relief International; \\ Vice President and Chief Counsel of the \\ National Hispanic Christian Leadership \\ Conference (which includes over 42,000 \\ Evangelical Hispanic churches); Trustee, \\ Timothy Plan, a family of mutual funds \\ traded in New York and Tel Aviv; and \\ former dean of Liberty University School \\ of Law. He has produced the  //“Why Israel \\ Matters” //TV show, as well as produces and \\ hosts Faith & Freedom and Freedom’s Call, \\ daily radio programs, and Freedom Alive, \\ a weekly TV program. He is married to \\ Anita, who is president of Liberty Counsel. \\ Mat and Anita have one daughter, three \\ grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. info@conventionofstates.com **“The  Convention  of  States  mechanism  is  safe,  and  it  is  the  only constitutionally  ** ** effective  means  available  to  do  what  is  so  essential  for our nation.”** Support the only solution that is as big as the problem. **Sign the petition at ConventionOfStates.com.\\ **www.conventionofstates.com