Champions of freedom: Archbishop Charles Chaput, Rep. Frank Wolf receive Meese Award
Alliance Defending Freedom honors efforts to promote, defend religious liberty
Monday, Nov 19, 2012
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L to R: Alliance Defending Freedom President Alan Sears, Archbishop Charles Chaput, Rep. Frank Wolf, and former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese |
WASHINGTON — Alliance Defending Freedom presented the annual Edwin Meese III Award for Originalism and Religious Liberty Friday to Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia and Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia. The two men received the award at a Washington, D.C.-area ceremony co-sponsored by the Council for National Policy.
Alliance Defending Freedom presents the award to individuals who have made “significant efforts in publicly promoting and defending religious liberty and principles of sound governance and jurisprudence through the active advancement of constitutional originalism.”
“It is a privilege to recognize Archbishop Charles Chaput and Rep. Frank Wolf, two moral leaders who are shaping the increasingly high-profile debate over religious freedom and freedom of conscience,” said Alliance Defending Freedom President, CEO, and General Counsel Alan Sears.
“Archbishop Chaput is one of the most dynamic, thoughtful, and outspoken leaders in the Catholic Church and American society. He has tirelessly fought to preserve life, marriage, and religious liberty and has been essential in sounding the alarm about the dangerous excesses of ObamaCare,” Sears continued. “Congressman Wolf has served Virginia with distinguished public service, especially in his sponsorship of important legislation to preserve religious freedom both at home and abroad. We commend the past and ongoing efforts of these two honorable men.”
Alliance Defending Freedom established the award in 2009 in honor of Edwin Meese III, the award’s first recipient and the nation’s 75th attorney general serving President Ronald Reagan. In 2011, the award went to Dr. Robert P. George and the late Chuck Colson.
“As Ed Meese has said, ‘Constitutional fidelity, through originalism, is critical to the protection of religious liberty,’” added Sears. “Both individuals understand this and have dedicated their lives to defending this principle. It is a privilege to honor their lifetime of service with this award.”
Alliance Defending Freedom presents the award to individuals who have made “significant efforts in publicly promoting and defending religious liberty and principles of sound governance and jurisprudence through the active advancement of constitutional originalism.”
“It is a privilege to recognize Archbishop Charles Chaput and Rep. Frank Wolf, two moral leaders who are shaping the increasingly high-profile debate over religious freedom and freedom of conscience,” said Alliance Defending Freedom President, CEO, and General Counsel Alan Sears.
“Archbishop Chaput is one of the most dynamic, thoughtful, and outspoken leaders in the Catholic Church and American society. He has tirelessly fought to preserve life, marriage, and religious liberty and has been essential in sounding the alarm about the dangerous excesses of ObamaCare,” Sears continued. “Congressman Wolf has served Virginia with distinguished public service, especially in his sponsorship of important legislation to preserve religious freedom both at home and abroad. We commend the past and ongoing efforts of these two honorable men.”
Alliance Defending Freedom established the award in 2009 in honor of Edwin Meese III, the award’s first recipient and the nation’s 75th attorney general serving President Ronald Reagan. In 2011, the award went to Dr. Robert P. George and the late Chuck Colson.
“As Ed Meese has said, ‘Constitutional fidelity, through originalism, is critical to the protection of religious liberty,’” added Sears. “Both individuals understand this and have dedicated their lives to defending this principle. It is a privilege to honor their lifetime of service with this award.”
- Pronunciation guide: Chaput (Shap-OO’)
Alliance Defending Freedom (formerly Alliance Defense Fund) is an alliance-building legal ministry that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.
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ABOUT Alan Sears
Alan Sears was the first president, CEO, and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, leading its efforts from 1993-2017. Across those nearly 25 years, he built an ADF team committed to a comprehensive legal strategy that includes training, funding, and legal advocacy. Sears earned his Juris Doctor from Louis D. Brandeis School of Law. While serving in numerous positions within the Reagan and Bush administrations, he worked for the Department of Justice under Attorneys General William French Smith and Edwin Meese III, including service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Criminal Section. Sears was appointed as director of the Attorney General’s Commission on Pornography and served as associate solicitor with the Department of Interior under Secretary Donald Hodel. A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Sears has continued his education with professional instruction at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Harvard Law School, Harvard Business School, and Pepperdine University. He is a member in good standing with the American, Arizona, California, District of Columbia (inactive), and Kentucky bar associations.