At 14 years old, Israel “DT” Del Toro lost his father. Before he died, his father asked DT to make a promise: “Take care of your brothers and sisters.” DT has spent his life keeping that promise. He carried it into the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a special operations paratrooper and put his life on the line for his fellow service members. Then, in Afghanistan, a roadside IED changed everything. DT suffered burns over 80 percent of his body, spent three months in a coma, and nearly died three times.Doctors didn't expect him to walk again. DT proved them wrong. He became the first 100% disabled veteran to reenlist in the Air Force, and his commitment to protecting others never stopped. A Patriot’s Promise is the story behind the man, the soldier, and the fight. It is a powerful story of courage, sacrifice, resilience, and one promise that shaped an extraordinary life. Meet the man behind the case. Read his story. give.mslegal.org/donate/patr…

Mountain States Legal Foundation (MSLF) is proud to announce that Michael McCoy, Director of MSLF’s Center to Keep and Bear Arms (CKBA), has been promoted to General Counsel. In his new role as General Counsel, Mr. McCoy will help lead MSLF’s broader legal strategy as the Foundation continues to defend individual liberty, property rights, equal protection, and the right to keep and bear arms. For the full press release, visit: mslegal.org/press-releases/m…

We’re pleased to be featured in the September issue! Check out this interview with MSLF President and CEO Cristen Wohlgemuth as she discusses our work protecting the rights of Americans and ensuring government remains within its constitutional limits. Read the full article to learn more about our mission, our work, and the cases making a difference. bit.ly/3Tmc1o5 #PropertyRights #WaterRights #ConstitutionalRights

Check out our open positions below! Communications Associate Entry Level Litigation Attorney(s) Mountain States Legal Foundation (MSLF) is seeking a creative, detail-oriented, and mission-driven Communications Associate to support the organization’s communications, marketing, and storytelling efforts. We are also seeking an entry-level litigation attorney for immediate hire which will play a key role in the Center for American Prosperity & Energy (CAPE)’s work nationwide, assisting with complex litigation involving private property rights, energy and natural resource development, administrative overreach, and the free enterprise system. For more information and applications visit mslegal.org/careers

Happy Constitution Day! Here’s to 239 years of the Constitution — and to many more generations of Americans living free under its protection

Happy Constitution Day! Today, September 17th, we celebrate the signing of a document that changed the course of history and continues to protect the freedoms we cherish every day: the United States Constitution. For 239 years, the Constitution has stood as a promise that our rights belong to us and that government must respect the liberties of the American people. At Mountain States Legal Foundation, we are proud to be the Constitution’s lawyers. Since 1977, we have carried that promise into courtrooms across the country, defending the rights that make our free country possible. Every case is different. Every courtroom brings a new challenge. But our purpose remains the same: to keep the Constitution strong and its promises alive. Happy Constitution Day! Here’s to 239 years of the Constitution — and to many more generations of Americans living free under its protection.

Twenty-five years later, we still remember. On September 11, 2001, our nation experienced an unimaginable tragedy. Nearly 3,000 innocent people lost their lives, leaving behind families, friends, colleagues, and communities forever changed. Today, the Mountain States Legal Foundation pauses to remember and honor every life lost that day. We remember the men, women, and children who never made it home. We remember the firefighters, police officers, first responders, and ordinary Americans who ran toward danger to help others. We remember the families who were forced to say goodbye far too soon, and the countless people whose lives were forever changed by the events of that morning. And we remember the extraordinary courage, compassion, and unity that emerged in the days that followed. Twenty-five years may have passed, but the lives lost on September 11 have not been forgotten. Their stories remain part of our nation's story, and their memory reminds us of the preciousness of life, the strength of the American people, and the freedoms we are entrusted to protect.

Feature Alert 🚨 Director of the Center for American Prosperity and Energy, Kole Kelley spoke with Washington Signal's Lunch Hour Podcast to discuss property rights, federal lands, agriculture, energy, and regulatory reform 🎙️✍️ watch the episode by visiting piped.video/watch?v=jpjY1xGh…

Mountain States Legal Foundation is fighting "death by paper" — federal permitting delays that quietly kill small Western mining, energy, and farm operations without a formal denial. @MSLF washingtonsignal.com/western…

Victory! 🚨🚨 MSLF secured a major victory for American energy producers and energy-producing states today when a federal court ruled that New York’s Climate Change Superfund Act is preempted by federal law. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York granted summary judgment to the plaintiffs in West Virginia, et al. v. Letitia James, et al., holding that New York’s Climate Change Superfund Act is preempted. The Act, enacted in 2024, sought to impose up to $75 billion in liability on energy producers for greenhouse-gas emissions dating back decades—including emissions associated with conduct occurring outside New York and the United States.

BREAKING NEWS: Federal court enjoins enforcement of New Mexico’s firearms waiting period law for ONLY the two named plaintiffs in Ortega v. Grisham, but allows government to delay the exercise of Second Amendment rights for all other citizens of New Mexico. Learn more at mslegal.org/press-releases/f…

🚨A statement from Michael McCoy, Director of the Center to Keep and Bear Arms: Mountain States Legal Foundation presented arguments in federal district court in Denver in the case of Garcia v Polis, our challenge of Colorado’s 3 day firearms waiting period law. These oral arguments surrounded motions for summary judgment that both sides of the case filed over a year ago. Since the filing of those motions, the 10th Circuit issued its opinion in Ortega v Grisham, our companion case challenging New Mexicos waiting period law. In that decision, the 10th Circuit found that cooling-off style waiting periods are unconstitutional. The Ortega decision out of the 10th Circuit should end the case for Garcia, but apparently the judge assigned to the Colorado case needed additional convincing. That’s what we - hopefully - did yesterday over the span of three hours of back and forth arguments between the parties. At the end of the hearing, the Garcia judge said that it would take him awhile to reach a decision and issue final judgment in the case. We are hopeful that decision, when finally issued, will mirror the Ortega decision and Colorado’s waiting period law will be permanently enjoined.

Court day update.

Oral arguments are over. Colorado threw everything at the wall to see what would stick as well as make things as confusing as possible (a strategy the anti-gun side often deploys). Mike McCoy with @MSLF did a great job representing gun owners. The judge apparently didn't engage a whole lot, but did indicate that he would be taking his time with the ruling, so we don't look for anything speedy there.

Have you ever wondered how many ways there is to help support the fight for liberty?!?! 👀 Hint...there's 8! 😉 Annual/Monthly Contributions 📅 Giving monthly/annually means you’re not just watching the fight—you’re in it. You help launch lawsuits, protect Constitutional rights, and keep liberty alive. Planned Giving ✍️ Leave a legacy of liberty. You decide to set aside a gift from your estate, money, property, retirement funds, or other assets, that will help preserve freedom for the next generation. Krogers Rewards 🛍️ Kroger offers a community rewards program that donates to MSLF based on their supporters’ everyday shopping. Just link your Kroger account to MSLF and begin shopping! Stock/Crypto 📈 Stocks, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency are among the most tax-efficient ways to donate. Mail-in Donation 💌 Send in your support via mail! You can download the form on our website or use one of our pre-paid business reply envelopes Matching Gifts 🧩 Double your support for without even giving a dollar more. You can if your employer participates in our Matching Gifts Program!

Are you an attorney looking to defend Liberty? Look no further, MSLF wants you! 🫵📄 Check out our open positions below: Entry Level Litigation Attorney(s) ⚡ MSLF’s Center for American Prosperity & Energy ⚒️ MSLF’s Center to Keep and Bear Arms These attorneys will play a key role in work nationwide, assisting with complex litigation, administrative overreach, and the free enterprise system. The attorney will also help evaluate potential cases and lay the groundwork for high impact litigation. Responsibilities include significant factual and legal research and writing, motion practice, and appellate advocacy. For more information and applications visit mslegal.org/careers

⚖️ Abhishek Kambli began his career as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of Indiana, prosecuting more than 100 federal cases from investigation through appeal. ✍️ He’s navigated the complexities of law, from military justice to pivotal roles at the Department of Justice, where he learned that true leadership is about empowering others. What’s the biggest lesson? It’s not just about winning cases; it’s about mentoring the next generation of lawyers and ensuring they have the opportunities to shine. Our latest episode of Beyond the Bench is OUT NOW on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts! 🎙️

Today is a bittersweet day at MSLF as we say farewell to our General Counsel, William Trachman and celebrate the incredible opportunity ahead of him: serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania! 🗺️✈️ He has served MSLF with tremendous excellence, integrity, and dedication, and we are so grateful for everything he has brought to our team and our mission. We’re going to miss him, but we couldn’t be more excited to see what’s next! We’re wishing him and his entire family safe travels, an incredible experience, and so many wonderful memories as they begin this exciting new chapter in Tanzania. Congratulations, Ambassador! We’re cheering you on every step of the way!

THIS JUST IN‼️ Mountain States Legal Foundation is hiring, and we want you 🫵 Check out our open position below: 💼 Communications Associate This position support the organization’s communications, marketing, and storytelling efforts. This role will play a key part in expanding MSLF’s public presence by creating compelling multimedia content, managing digital platforms, producing podcast episodes, and developing communications materials that explain complex constitutional issues to supporters, media, and the public. For more information and applications, visit mslegal.org/careers

🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨 Mountain States Legal Foundation and its Center to Keep and Bear Arms has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in Del Toro v. Polis, asking the federal court to halt enforcement of Colorado’s permit-to-purchase requirements while our challenge moves forward, providing immediate relief. The Second Amendment protects the natural right to keep and bear arms. A Constitutional right should not depend on whether someone can afford hundreds of dollars in fees, find a government-approved trainer, pass a test, navigate layers of bureaucracy, and satisfy an ever-growing list of requirements. learn more at mslegal.org/cases