The Honorable William Pryor, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, delivered an introductory address at this year's Federalist Society National Lawyers Convention. The speech was a hit with attendees, quoting and responding to common (mis)characterizations and criticisms of the Federalist Society from folks like Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and various progressive pundits.
One of the those quoted (some would say "mocked") in the speech was Slate's Mark Joseph Stern. A week after the speech, Stern decided to ask Judge Pryor for an interview. To Stern's surprise, Judge Pryor agreed on the spot, on the condition that Slate publish a complete transcript of the exchange. Stern agreed and Slate has published the exchange. Although the sub-hed of the story promises a "rare look inside the elusive and influential group," there is very little in the interview that is not well known to those familiar with FedSoc itself, as opposed to the villianous caricature commentators like Stern tend to draw.
As Judge Pryor explained, many claims about FedSoc reflect a misunderstanding of how the organization operates, and fail to distinguish between the actions of the Society and the actions of its members. From the interview:
