Erin Hawley
Erin Hawley | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, Conservative Activist |
| Political party | Republican Party |
| Spouse | Josh Hawley |
Erin Hawley (also known as Erin Morrow Hawley) is a lawyer and the wife of Senator Josh Hawley.[1] She is known for her opposition to abortion and her affiliation with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a conservative Christian legal advocacy group that advocates for Christian religious liberties.[2]
Education[edit]
Hawley attended Texas A&M University, where she studied animal science.[3] After college, she interned for the House Committee on Agriculture which led to her interest in regulatory law. She attended Yale Law School[3] where she served as a Coker Fellow in Constitutional Law and worked on the Yale Law Journal.[4]
Legal career[edit]
Erin Hawley currently serves as a senior counsel and vice president as a member at the Alliance Defending Freedom(ADF) advocacy group which is a legal organization that works to expand Christian religious liberties and practices within public schools, ban abortions, and oppose rights for those in the LGBTQ+ community.[2] Before working with ADF, Hawley practiced law with several law firms located in Washington D.C. which included: Kirkland and Ellis LLP, Bancroft LLP, and King & Spalding LLP.[5]
Hawley previously worked as a law clerk for the U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts as well as for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson.[6] She also served as a counsel to Attorney General Michael Mukasey in the Department of Justice. Aside from her law career she also immersed herself in academics as she taught at the University of Missouri as an associate professor,[3] taught constitutional litigation, federal income tax, tax policy, and agricultural law.[4] She also worked at the Kinder Institute for Constitutional Democracy where she taught constitutional law as a senior fellow. In addition to her senior counsel position at ADF,[3] she is an active member of the Missouri and District of Columbia bars.
Political positions & activism[edit]
Hawley has participated in numerous court cases, all regarding rights and freedom. In 2014 Hawley and others sued Kamala Harris, former California Attorney General, over hen-laying laws.[7] Hawley and her colleagues argued that the Californian rule which granted egg-bearing hens more space in their cages, was a "blue state imposing its values and rules on Missouri farmers."[7]
Opposition to abortion[edit]
Hawley is well known for her opposition to abortion.[8] In 2021, she helped work on the landmark case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which later overturned Roe v. Wade.[9] She continued pursuing cases related to religious freedom, such as 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, a case that expanded freedom of speech by allowing an artist to publish a message that was considered discriminatory towards same-sex couples.[10]
Ban on Mifepristone[edit]
As of 2024, Hawley was working with the Idaho Attorney General to defend the state abortion ban from the Biden administration. In the case, Hawley presented the argument that the abortion drug mifepristone is unsafe.[11]
Personal life[edit]
Erin and Josh Hawley met while they were both working as law clerks for Chief Justice Roberts in 2007.[3][12] They married in 2010. The Hawleys have 3 children.[13] Hawley is a Christian who believes she is called to "rest in the knowledge that God is sovereign."[7]
References[edit]
- ^ Gilsinan, Cathy (February 23, 2024). "'Josh Is a Show Pony. Erin Is a Workhorse.'". Politico.
- ^ a b Freedom, Alliance Defending (2023-02-23). "Erin Morrow Hawley". Alliance Defending Freedom. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ a b c d e "Erin Morrow Hawley". Regent University. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ a b "Erin Hawley | Fellow". Independent Women's Forum. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ "Erin Morrow Hawley, Senior Counsel" (PDF).
- ^ Dias, Elizabeth; VanSickle, Abbie (2024-03-26). "Erin Hawley: The Woman Arguing Against the Abortion Pill". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ a b c Dias, Elizabeth; VanSickle, Abbie (2024-03-26). "Erin Hawley: The Woman Arguing Against the Abortion Pill". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ Totenberg, Nina (March 26, 2024). "A Supreme Court abortion pill case with potential consequences for every other drug". NPR.
- ^ Tracy, Abigail (2023-03-23). "Erin Morrow Hawley Is Leading the Charge to Ban Abortion Medication. She's Also Josh Hawley's Wife". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ "303 Creative LLC v. Elenis". Oyez.
- ^ "Wife of Sen. Hawley Urges Court to Restrict Abortion Pill". The Kansas City Star. March 27, 2024.
- ^ "A fast-moving argument over medication abortion". SCOTUSblog. 2024-03-26. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ Desrochers, Daniel (March 26, 2024). "Erin Hawley urges Supreme Court to restrict abortion pill as Josh Hawley looks on".