Does anyone know if the ACLU gets any of our tax money?

Question

I am trying to find out if our taxes fund the ACLU at all. I have heard that they do.

Answer 1

First, be aware that "ACLU" refers to two organizations. One lobbies, which is NOT allowed to accept tax money nor are contributions to it tax deductible. The other organization (Foundation) is a "not-for-profit" organization and accepts (tax deductible donations). We'll look at the later:

Since donations are tax deductible, there is some "tax money" here, I guess. Same as tax money going to any organization that accept tax deductible donations. Some of which you may (at least in spirit) support... and I may not.

You'll find that the work performed by the Foundation is rather limited and, in general, isn't nearly as controversial as the work done by "lobbying" organization.

So, the answer to the question you're REALLY asking is No.

Answer 2

I too might decide to be conscious of how a circulate at a park offends someones civil liberties (Amelia's link) and that i ask your self why the form of the USA of a extends previous our borders and/or our electorate? How does the treatment of al Queda individuals distant places have something to do with the Constitutional rights human beings electorate? On stability, i think of the ACLU performs a effective provider yet they beneficial do pass off the deep end now and back. EDIT Tyler C: enjoyed examining your answer. I actually have a pair strategies. The invoice of Rights wasn't designed to restrict or shrink the freedoms human beings electorate, in basic terms the officers we hire. Banning non secular symbols restricts electorate' rights. Inclusiveness seems greater American to me than restrict. "as quickly as Christmas, Hanukkah or different non secular trip reflects are allowed in city halls and city squares, all religions could be afforded comparable get admission to." There are 2 components to the religion clause in the form: Congress shall make no regulation a million) respecting a undeniable faith 2) prohibiting the human beings from working in direction of the religion they p.c. it incredibly is incredibly basic incredibly. the two clauses consult from what Congress can and could't do. the administrative, the judicial, the guy states, counties, municipalities and the everybody is loose to do despite they please. The shape is silent on faith different than for the regulations placed on Congress. The "separation of church and state" or "a wall of separation" concept substitute into floated as a thank you to guard electorate from state sanctioned non secular persecution. those words did not make it into the form. instead, the 1st 2 clauses of the 1st substitute did. That being the case, there could be 2 tests while figuring out no count if or not a circulate, a menorah, a nativity scene or a pentacle could be allowed on public land in San Diego: a million) Does it set up a central authority faith? 2) Does it limit the loose exercising of religion?

Answer 3

When the ACLU successfully sues the US Government for any reason, part of the settlement will be a cash award to the ACLU itself.

So, whenever they win, you lose.

Answer 4

The ACLU receives funding from a large number of sources. The distribution and amount of funding for state affiliates varies from state to state. For example, the ACLU of New Jersey reported $1.2 million in income to both the ACLU-NJ and its affiliated tax-exempt foundation in the 2005 fiscal year. Of that income, 46% came from contributions, 19% came from membership dues, 18% came from court awarded attorney fees, 12% came from grants, 4% came from investment income and the remainder from other sources. Its expenses in the same period were $800,000, of which 12% went to administration and management ACLU-NJ, Annual Report, ACLU-NJ, 2005. Smaller affiliates with fewer resources, such as that in Nebraska, receive subsidies from the national ACLU.

Foundations
The ACLU and its affiliated tax-exempt foundation receive annual support from the Ford, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Field, Tides, Gill, Arcus, Horizons, and other foundations.

In October of 2004, the ACLU rejected $1.5 million from both the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations. The Foundations had adopted language from the USA PATRIOT Act into their donation agreements, including a clause stipulating that none of the money would go to "underwriting terrorism or other unacceptable activities." The ACLU views this clause, both in Federal law and in the donors' agreements, as a threat to civil liberties.

Court awarded attorney's fees
The ACLU periodically receives court awarded legal fees. For example, the New Jersey chapter reported receiving 18% for awarded legal fees in the fiscal year 2005. In 2004, these awards made up 3% of their ACLU Foundation funding and 0% of the ACLU.[19] The Public Expression of Religion Act of 2005, introduced by Representative John N. Hostettler, seeks to alter prior civil rights legislation to prevent monetary judgements in the particular case of violations of church-state separation. Also, groups such as the American Legion have taken stances opposing the ACLU's right to collect fees under such legislation.

Recovery of legal fees by non-profit legal advocacy organizations is common practice. The pro-life Thomas More Law Center, for example, generally seeks, and is successful in, recovery of legal fees in the same manner as the ACLU.

Due to the nature of its legal work, the ACLU is often involved in litigation against governmental bodies, which are generally protected from adverse monetary judgements: a town, state or Federal agency may be required to change its laws or behave differently, but not to pay monetary damages except by an explicit statutory waiver.

In some cases, the law permits plaintiffs who successfully sue government agencies to collect money damages or other monetary relief. In particular, a 1976 federal law (amended in 1988), the Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Awards Act leaves the government liable in some civil rights cases. Fee awards under this civil rights statute are considered "equitable relief" rather than damages, and government entities are not immune from equitable relief.[26] Under laws such as this, the ACLU and its state chapters sometimes share in monetary judgements against government agencies.

The ACLU has prevailed in numerous church-state cases. The Georgia chapter was awarded $150,000 in fees after suing a county for the removal of a Ten Commandments display from its courthouse;[28] a second Ten Commandments case in the State, in a different county, led to a $74,462 judgment.[29] Meanwhile, the State of Tennessee was required to pay $50,000, the State of Alabama $175,000, and the State of Kentucky $121,500, in similar Ten Commandments cases

Answer 5

I don't have any problem with it if they do. I know the organization for what is is and not the caricature depicted by the right.

Answer 6

They don't....but the boy scouts do...go figure

Answer 7

I'm not positive, but I think they do.