Citizens for Self Governance

Leadership

Mark Meckler serves as President of CSG. Meckler was previously co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots before resigning from that group.

Lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service

In May 2013, CSG filed a class action lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, alleging violations under the Privacy Act as well as violations of constitutional rights guaranteeing free expression and equal protection under the law. The lawsuit stemmed from IRS targeting of conservative groups for more scrutiny as they applied for tax-exempt status. In April 2015, a federal judge ordered the IRS to turn over the list of 298 groups it had targeted for intrusive scrutiny. The IRS failed to turn over the list, filing a petition for a writ of mandamus from the appellate court so that it would not have to disclose information on groups the agency had targeted. In March 2016, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit made a unanimous ruling rebuking the IRS and giving the agency two weeks to produce the names of organizations it targeted based on their political leanings. The court is demanding the list so that those who have been targeted by the IRS based on their political views may file a class action lawsuit and seek damages from the IRS.

Convention of the States

CSG has called for a convention to propose amendments to the United States Constitution. According to Meckler:

By calling a convention of states, we can stop the federal spending and debt spree, the power grabs of the federal courts, and other misuses of federal power. The current situation is precisely what the Founders feared, and they gave us a solution we have a duty to use.

CSG has opened numerous chapters across the nation to urge state legislators to summon a national convention; for example, in Virginia, the group sponsored the founder of Patrick Henry College, Michael Farris, to launch a Convention of States Project which is a forum for delegates appointed by state governments to propose amendments to the constitution.

In December 2013, nearly 100 legislators from 32 states met at Mount Vernon to talk about how to call a convention of states. According to Slate, "The meeting lasted four hours, ending when legislators agreed to meet again in the spring of 2014. That’s the most progress anyone’s made in decades toward a states-first constitutional amendment campaign." CSG provided the legislators with briefing books that laid out a plan to call a convention of states.

In March 2014, Georgia became the first state to pass CSG's convention of states application. By 2016, Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Tennessee, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Louisiana had followed suit, bringing the total number of states to pass CSG's convention of states application to eight.

In July 2014, CSG announced plans to have resolutions before at least 24 state legislatures in 2015. In 2015, the group backed bills in 26 states that would call for a convention. Democrats and Republicans have supported bills backed by the organization.

In September 2016, CSG held a simulated convention to propose amendments to the United States Constitution in Williamsburg, Virginia. An assembly of 137 delegates representing every state gathered to conduct a simulated convention. The simulated convention passed amendments relating to six topics, including requiring the states to approve any increase in the national debt, imposing term limits, limiting the Commerce Clause to its original meaning, limiting the power of federal regulations, requiring a supermajority to impose federal taxes and repealing the 16th Amendment, and giving the states the power to abrogate any federal law, regulation, or executive order.

Mark Levin has supported CSG's efforts to a call a second constitutional convention. Former U.S. Senator Tom Coburn has endorsed the Convention of States Project and serves as a senior advisor to CSG's efforts.

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, John Kasich, Bobby Jindal, Allen West, and Greg Abbott have all endorsed a convention of states.

In September 2014, CSG announced that a Legal Board of Reference had signed a "Jefferson Statement" endorsing the Convention of States initiative. The Legal Board of Reference includes Randy Barnett, Charles J. Cooper, John C. Eastman, Michael Farris, Robert P. George, C. Boyden Gray, Mark Levin, Andrew C. McCarthy, and Mark Meckler.

In late 2015, Marco Rubio endorsed CSG's call for a constitutional convention.