Goldwater Institute

Public interest litigation: the Goldwater Institute litigates constitutional issues of concern to the Public, particularly under the state constitutions, on behalf of americans who would not be in a position to defend against the heavy hand of government without assistance or expertise. We defend taxpayer and property rights, free speech and free enterprise, and educational choice. We enforce constitutional limits on government power. Our cases seek to set broad legal precedents to protect the freedoms of our clients and all americans. The Goldwater Institute also manages a successful "litigation by letterhead" effort, where we induce government to cease unlawful actions by providing them with information by letter, without having to go to court. In 2022, the Goldwater Institute won 23 victories through direct litigation and amicus work. Our active caseload averaged 30, and we advanced cutting-edge legal scholarship in the courts by filing 16 amicus curiae briefs.

Communications: in 2022, the Goldwater Institute continued to capture national media attention with interviews and news reports about our successful efforts to defend individual liberties.the Goldwater Institute's media relations efforts are built on a multi-level strategic approach that harnesses the power of its in-house digital platforms, the reach of traditional media, and the virality of social media to reach audiences across the country. The results are seen by countless americans on the pages of the nation's most notable newspapers and most-watched news networks. Goldwater Institute experts and clients published 55 op-eds and letters to the editor in 2022, in outlets that included the daily caller, Washington examiner, the orange county register, the hill, the dispatch, reason, the Washington times, national review, townhall, and the daily journal, whose combined daily online circulation exceeds 3 million readers. Our experts were also a regular presence on national cable tv news networks, nationally syndicated radio shows, and local broadcast tv and radio, helping to share Goldwater's work with an even wider audience. All told, Goldwater had 13 appearances on national cable television, more than 100 local and national radio and podcast appearances, and more than 4,800 mentions in traditional (print, radio, television, and online) and social media outlets. The Goldwater Institute does not just rely on outside media outlets to disseminate its message. Last year, the Goldwater Institute launched a redesigned website at goldwaterinstitute.org, where it publishes original articles, blog posts, commentary, investigative reports, legal and Policy Research, and original videos. In 2022, goldwaterinstitute.org welcomed nearly 200,000 visitors who came to the site nearly 400,000 times. The Goldwater Institute also continued to harness the power of social media to bolster its influence. Goldwater's facebook posts reached more than 109,000 people, and its content received more than 1,300,000 impressions on twitter. Additionally, Goldwater's videos received 40,600 views on youtube, an increase of 224% over 2021.

Policy analysis, Research and education, external affairs: the Goldwater Institute conducts scholarly Research and in-depth analysis of state-level Public Policy issues and communicates that Research to the Public. Our primary areas of Research include constitutional law, education reform, and healthcare Policy. In 2022, we delivered 71 Public speeches, distributed 5 Policy reports, and testified regularly before legislative committees. In 2022, we had 31 Policy and litigation victories in courts and legislatures nationwide. To date, 22 states have adopted Goldwater's universal recognition law, allowing workers licensed in one state to continue working when they move to a new state without having to spend time and money getting another. Other victories include state laws that: empower families with greater educational options that fit their children's unique needs (16 states have approved programs based on Goldwater's education savings accounts); protect people's right to operate an unobtrusive home-based business without being unfairly targeted by onerous and unnecessary regulations; and safeguard patients' right to try cutting-edge, individualized treatments. This work was supported in part through our ronald reagan fellows program, which develops young talent by teaching and employing 14 interns and law clerks.