USAID v. Alliance for Society International, Inc. - Post-Decision SCOTUScast
featuring Casey Mattox and Krystal B. Swendsboe
featuring Casey Mattox and Krystal B. Swendsboe
On June 29, 2020 the Supreme Court released its decision in United States Agency for International Development v. Alliance for Open Society International. By a vote of 5-3, the judgment of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is reversed. The justices held that the enforcement of a law requiring foreign affiliates of domestic groups receiving funds to fight HIV/AIDS to have a policy opposing prostitution and sex trafficking does not violate the First Amendment. Justice Kavanaugh's majority opinion was joined by the Chief Justice and Justices Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch. Justice Thomas also filed a concurring opinion. Justice Breyer dissented, joined by Justices Ginsburg and Sotomayor. Justice Kagan took no part in the consideration or decision of the case. Our speakers will discuss the decision and its implications.
To discuss the case, we have both Casey Mattox, a Senior Fellow focusing on toleration and free speech at the Charles Koch Institute, and Krystal B. Swendsboe, Associate at Wiley Rein LLP.
Vice President for Legal Strategy, Stand Together
Casey Mattox is Vice President for Legal Strategy at Stand Together and Senior Advisor at
Americans for Prosperity. In these roles he advocates for and creates strategies and
partnerships to ensure a constitutionally limited government that protects the civil liberties of all
Americans. Prior to joining Stand Together and AFP Casey’s legal career focused on defending
the First Amendment rights of students, faculty, healthcare workers and religious organizations.
Casey has a J.D. from Boston College School of Law and an undergraduate degree from the
University of Virginia. You can find him on Twitter at @CaseyMattox_ and on LinkedIn at
@Casey-Mattox-ST.
Associate, Wiley Rein LLP
Krystal represents and advises clients in a variety of complex litigation and appellate matters in state and federal courts. She has served in legal capacities in both public and private entities, including the U.S. Department of Justice and federal trial and appellate courts, and has extensive litigation experience ranging from pre-complaint investigations and discovery disputes to critical motions practice, trial preparation, and appeals. Krystal specializes in providing creative litigation solutions to give her clients a strategic advantage, both in and out of the courtroom.
Her experience spans a wide variety of practice areas, including government contracts, intellectual property, environment and product regulation, telecommunications, health care, as well as election law and government ethics. Krystal’s appellate work, including before the U.S. Supreme Court, has focused on significant First Amendment issues.
Krystal served as a law clerk for the Honorable Mark S. Davis on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (the “Rocket Docket”). In addition, she served as a law clerk for the Honorable Alice M. Batchelder on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Krystal also maintains an active pro bono practice, and for two consecutive years has won firm awards for her contributions. Most recently, she briefed and argued a multi-issue appeal of a trial verdict in the Ninth Circuit, and successfully obtained remand from the Board of Immigration Appeals after her client was denied protection under the U.N. Convention Against Torture.