Edwin Meese III’s Move to Advancing American Freedom Signals Fracture in Conservative Legal Leadership

Edwin Meese III, the former U.S. attorney general and one of the most influential conservative legal figures of the modern era, has endorsed Advancing American Freedom’s new Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law, marking a major blow to Heritage Foundation as it reeling from internal scandal, board resignations, and a widening exodus of senior staff. Meese, 93, has served for decades as a guiding force at Heritage and lent his stature as one of President Ronald Reagan’s closest advisers to the institution’s legal mission.

While Meese remains affiliated with Heritage, he has endorsed a competing legal center bearing his name—directly challenging Heritage’s Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies. On Monday, Meese announced his support for Advancing American Freedom (AAF), a new conservative think tank backed by former Vice President Mike Pence, stating he was “proud” that AAF’s institute had found a home.

In a statement, Meese expressed confidence in the new center’s mission to advance conservative legal scholarship, educate the public on critical issues, train future lawyers, and defend constitutional principles. His decision follows Heritage board resignations, multiple senior staff departures, and mounting controversy surrounding Heritage President Kevin Roberts. A spokesperson for Heritage confirmed Meese remains a distinguished fellow emeritus but clarified that Heritage’s center still exists, though its interim director, Charles “Cully” Stimson, resigned within days of the announcement.

Meese was central to Reagan-era conservatism, serving as White House counselor, deputy chief of staff, and U.S. attorney general from 1985 to 1988. At Heritage, he long acted as a moral and intellectual anchor for conservative legal thought. Insiders describe his endorsement as deeply undermining confidence in the institution.

The shake-up coincides with AAF’s recent hiring of three former Heritage leaders—John Malcolm, Richard Stern, and Kevin Dayaratna, Ph.D.—to lead new initiatives under AAF. Malcolm will head the Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law; Stern will establish the Plymouth Institute for Free Enterprise; and Dayaratna will build a Center for Statistical Modeling & Scientific Analysis. Pence welcomed the moves, calling the hires “principled conservative scholars.”

Heritage continues to face turmoil after Roberts’ refusal to address antisemitism allegations by Tucker Carlson, prompting donor exodus and strained relations within its network. With multiple board members resigning and senior staff quietly leaving, Heritage’s influence has waned amid growing competition from a broader ecosystem of conservative policy groups led by former Heritage officials.