Mountain States Legal Foundation Announces Resignation of President William Perry Pendley

LAKEWOOD, Colo. – December 07, 2018 – Mountain States Legal Foundation, a non-profit, public interest legal foundation focused on constitutional government, property rights, and free enterprise, announced today that William Perry Pendley has resigned as president. Roy Cohee, CEO and Chairman of the Board, will continue to direct the foundation. Cristen Wohlgemuth, Executive Vice President and COO, will continue to lead day-to-day operations. “The Board is very grateful for Perry’s decades of service,” said Mr. Cohee. “Perry’s passion and energy have led the foundation to prosper for nearly thirty years. His love of liberty will live on in the important work MSLF does. We wish him the very best in all that lies ahead.” “Perry has been a vital part of our success.” Mr. Cohee added. “18 months ago, however, the Board of Directors selected Executive Vice President Cristen Wohlgemuth to manage day-to-day operations at the foundation, in anticipation of Perry’s eventual departure. We are excited about MSLF’s future under our current leadership team.” Mr. Pendley became president of MSLF in 1989. He argued cases before the Supreme Court of the United States as well as various federal courts of appeals. In 1995 he won what Time called a "legal earthquake" when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of MSLF’s client in the historic equal protection case, Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Peña. In 2009 Mr. Pendley began to focus more on writing, speaking, and fundraising. He published several books, including Sagebrush Rebel (2013), a biography of Ronald Reagan, and Summary Judgment (2015), a collection of essays on law and American politics. MSLF’s General Counsel, Zhonette Brown, will continue to lead the foundation’s ongoing litigation efforts. Those efforts include a high-profile class-action discrimination suit involving a race-based hiring program for federal air traffic controllers, Brigida v. U.S. Dept. of Transportation; and Ministerio Roca Solida v. United States, a case that holds the government accountable for illegally destroying land belonging to a Nevada church. “MSLF is well-positioned going into 2019,” said Mr. Cohee. “It is MSLF’s mission to protect the constitutional liberties we all hold dear. We are ready to build on our remarkable legacy. We will continue winning big cases that shape our laws and the lives of all Americans.”