Who Is Michael Luttig's Wife? the Untold Story Behind Elizabeth A. Luttig
The clearest glimpse the public received into the Luttigs' joint values occurred in late 2023. On September 21, 2023, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia announced that Judge J. Michael Luttig and Elizabeth A. Luttig had placed a rare 1788 first-edition copy of The Federalist, frequently referred to as The Federalist Papers, on long-term public loan.
Printed by J. & A. McLean, this two-volume artifact represents the holy grail of American legal literature. It collected the essays authored by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the pseudonym "Publius" to persuade New York voters to ratify the United States Constitution. The copy provided by Michael and Elizabeth represents one of only a few hundred ever produced, preserved in pristine historic condition.
The decision to loan the volume rather than keep it locked in a private vault spoke directly to their shared philosophy. The artifact went on display in the center's George H.W. Bush Gallery, positioned alongside original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. For Elizabeth and Michael, making this foundational document accessible to school groups, legal scholars, and citizens reflected an urgent civic duty: reminding Americans of the foundational principles that protect ordered liberty.