Occupation Lawyer | Website joshclaybourn.com | |
 | ||
Born June 10, 1981 (age 35) ( 1981-06-10 ) Evansville, Indiana, United States Books Born of Clay: The Story of the Claiborne ? Claybourn ? Clayborn Families in the United States Alma maters Kelley School of Business (Bachelor of Science) | ||
Joshua Claybourn is an American attorney and author, known most for his legal and political work with governmental entities and elected officials. His work has appeared in The Federalist, The American Spectator, National Review Online, and World Magazine, and he has commented on current events on CNN, MSNBC, and NHK. Previously he was a blogger that radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt included among the “next generation of bloggers” and a reason “to be very optimistic about the future of the blogosphere.”
Contents
Early life and education
Claybourn is a native of Evansville, Indiana, and graduate of North High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Indiana University Kelley School of Business and while there he attended the Leadership Institute in Arlington, Virginia, an organization that teaches young Americans how to influence public policy through activism and leadership. Thereafter he earned a law degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law and served as a research assistant to Professor Gerard Magliocca during his work on Andrew Jackson and the Constitution: The Rise and Fall of Generational Regimes.
Legal work
Claybourn is an attorney with the law firm of Jackson Kelly and represents businesses and several governmental entities and officials. He served as attorney for the city council of Evansville, Indiana and the town council of Chandler, Indiana. Citing Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, Claybourn appeared before the Indiana Election Commission and successfully challenged a 23-year-old person’s legal right to appear on the ballot as a candidate for Congress in Indiana's 8th congressional district. Writing in The American Spectator, he argued against passage of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, warning that it threatened to "undermine foreign relations, core principles of international law, and American justice abroad."
Politics
Claybourn was cited as a "key supporter" of Congressman Larry Bucshon of Indiana's 8th congressional district. He was a principal adviser to Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke's campaign and was a part of Winnecke's 2012 transition team. He also served as a top adviser during Winnecke's successful 2015 re-election campaign, which made Winnecke the first Republican Evansville mayor to be re-elected in 40 years.
In 2016, Claybourn was selected as an Indiana delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention. A day after Donald Trump's win in the Indiana primary which made Trump the party's presumptive nominee, Claybourn was one of the first to resign his position as a delegate because he “could not in good conscience attend a coronation and celebration of Donald Trump.” The New York Times noted Mr. Claybourn would have been bound to vote for Mr. Trump on the first ballot, "a step he said he simply could not stomach." In a statement Claybourn said, "Donald J. Trump is the Republican Party’s nominee. But he will not be my nominee, and I will not attend a convention celebrating his candidacy." Nevertheless, members of President-elect Donald Trump's transition team sought Claybourn’s interest in a legal role with the administration, suggesting his involvement would be “good for unity.”