The Convention of States Project announced Monday that former Sen. Jim DeMint (R., S.C.) will join the organization as a senior adviser.

DeMint, who was recently ousted from his role as president of the Heritage Foundation, said that after years in politics he realized Washington would not willingly return power to the people despite his best efforts, PR Newswire reports.

"I tried to rein in Washington from inside the House and Senate, then by starting the Senate Conservatives Fund to elect good conservatives, and finally as President of the Heritage Foundation, creating and promoting good, conservative policy," DeMint said. "But once I realized that Washington will never willingly return decision-making power back to the American people and the states, I began searching for another way to restrain the federal government."

The Convention of States Project was created to restrict the power and jurisdiction of the federal government.

"The time is now for bold action to save America, and Jim DeMint knows how to fight the opposition to do what is best for the Nation and the People," said Mark Meckler, co-founder of the Convention of States Project.

DeMint, a prominent Tea Party figure, said he looked forward to working with a project that shares his goals.

"I am excited to get outside the beltway and work with the grassroots of the Convention of States Project to continue the fight I started almost two decades ago," the former senator said.

So far 12 states have passed the Convention of States resolution that calls for fiscal restraint, limitation of federal government jurisdiction, and term limits on federal officials, including judges.