Press Statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
MSLF Communications Dept.
MacKenzie Guy
(303)-292-2021
communications@mslegal.org
MOUNTAIN STATES LEGAL FOUNDATION APPLAUDS PRESIDENT TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER AS A GAME-CHANGER IN BATTLING DEI POLICIES
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (January 23, 2025)— For almost five decades, Mountain States Legal Foundation (MSLF) has spearheaded numerous challenges to government entities engaged in racial discrimination in hiring, training, and contracting. This week, President Trump issued a monumental Executive Order ending discrimination in federal contracting and hiring and helping us achieve the goal of equality under the law. The order states, “Illegal DEI and DEIA policies not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity, as they deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system. Hardworking Americans who deserve a shot at the American Dream should not be stigmatized, demeaned, or shut out of opportunities because of their race or sex.”
With this Executive Order in place, MSLF is uniquely positioned to push forward and solidify the precedent that racially discriminatory practices are unconstitutional, supported by an Administration that backs our stance.
One of our most high-profile lawsuits involves challenging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its racial discrimination in hiring air traffic controllers under President Obama. Yesterday morning, President Trump released a Presidential Memorandum specifically addressing this issue, “Safety and competence should be the only job criteria for FAA employees, yet the Biden Administration violated the public trust—as well as the law—by prioritizing illegal DEI hiring.” This memorandum marks a significant development for our lawsuit, as we can now capitalize on setting a legal precedent that will further solidify the end of DEI in the FAA.
Mountain States General Counsel William Trachman has this to say, “Race discrimination in aviation is both illegal and dangerous. And even outside the context of aviation, it betrays the vision of our nation to treat individuals differently based on race or sex. I am pleased that unlawful and divisive DEI measures are being targeted by the Trump Administration, and look forward to seeing a new day where we are judged solely by the content of our character.”