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Non-profit

ACLU Pennsylvania

Website:

www.aclupa.org
Location:

Philadelphia, PA
Tax ID:

23-7184439
Budget (2020):

Revenue: $2,504,428
Expenses: $1,389,871
Assets: $5,557,499
Type:

Activist Legal
Acting Executive Director:

Claire Landau

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The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania (ACLU-PA) is a state-level affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The organization litigates, educates, and advocates for left-of-center positions including reduction of prison populations, elimination of cash bail, and promotion of mail-in ballots. 1 2 3 4

Organization

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania (ACLU-PA) is the Pennsylvania state-level arm of the left-of-center ACLU. The organization advocates, litigates, and conducts educational programs to advance its agenda. Ten Pennsylvania regional chapters are dedicated to organizing volunteers, conducting events, and conferences. 5 6 7

The organization has expanded its activity from protection of individual civil liberties to promoting equal outcomes for groups and remedy what it calls the “persistent harms of systemic racism.” 8

ACLU-PA is a member of the PA Justice Alliance (PAJA), an organization that advocates for the reduction of prison populations and equal outcomes in sentencing. Other members of PAJA are Decarcerate PA, Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration, Reclaim Philadelphia, and Amistad Law Project, a sister organization of Amistad Movement Power. 9 10 11

The American Civil Liberties Foundation of Pennsylvania (ACLUF-PA),is the sister charitable organization of ACLU-PA that shares staff, common leadership, and boards of directors. 12

Litigation

ACLU-PA filed a complaint on March 30, 2023, against the Saucon Valley School District of eastern Pennsylvania on behalf of its client The Satanic Temple, Inc., an organization recognized as a church by the IRS. The school rejected an application by the After School Satan Club to host extracurricular meetings on school property. 13 14

In September 2020, the ACLU-PA, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the left-progressive Public Interest Law Center, and the Pennsylvania Democratic Party obtained a ruling from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that extended the deadline for mail-in ballots and allowed voting drop boxes in counties. 15

In April 2019, the ACLU-PA agreed to a settlement of a lawsuit against the McKeesport Area School District that approved the formation of a Black Student Union that excludes outside sponsorship and was open to students of all races. 16

The organization filed a lawsuit in 2022 accusing four judges in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania of failing to allow the plaintiffs to be heard or consider their ability to pay. The case was dismissed in part in 2023 with the plaintiffs allowed to amend a portion of their claims. 17 18

ACLU-PA in conjunction with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed a motion on April 20, 2020 to intervene on behalf of Common Cause Pennsylvania and the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania in Judicial Watch  v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that sought to force three Pennsylvania counties to remove illegitimate voters from their rolls. The court dismissed both counts of Judicial Watch’s complaint on March 8, 2021with the right to amend. 19 20

On October 10, 2019, the group filed a challenge to a proposed constitutional amendment titled Marsy’s Law just prior to its appearance on the ballot. The law would have created a victim’s bill of rights as part of the state constitution. The court ruled against the enactment of the law. 21

Advocacy

An April, 11, 2023 review of social media posts indicate ACLU-PA’s opposition to efforts to escalate stop-and-frisk in Philadelphia as well as the banning of sexually explicit books in Central York schools. Posts also indicated support for Keystone Equality, a statewide LGBT group; Transgender Day of Visibility; and improved representation for those unable to pay an attorney. 22 23 24

Reggie Shuford, the organization’s former executive director, is quoted in ACLU-PA’s 2022 annual report stating, “The oppressive systems at the foundation of our nation, which have been in place for centuries, can only be undone with conscious effort, creative complementary tactics, and persistence.” He further advocated for equal outcomes as part of the organization’s “authentic belonging, inclusion, diversity, and equity” (ABIDE) initiative. 25

Leadership

In January 2023, Claire Landau was appointed acting executive director of the ACLU-PA, replacing Reggie Shuford. Her prior experience included deputy director of the organization and deputy director of the School District of Philadelphia. 26

As of April 2023, Peter Goldberger was president of the board of directors of ACLU-PA and was also an attorney in private practice. He formerly served as an associate professor at Whittier College School of Law and law professor at the Villanova Law School. Goldberger is notable for representing Bill Cosby in the successful appeal of his sexual assault conviction. 27 28

Finances

In 2020, ACLU-PA reported revenue of $2,504,428 and expenses of $1,389,871 with net assets of $5,251,333. 29 30

References

  1. “About Us.” ACLU Pennsylvania, May 24, 2022. https://www.aclupa.org/en/about/about-us.
  2. “Log into Facebook.” Facebook. Accessed April 11, 2023. https://www.facebook.com/aclupa/posts/10151808550549953.
  3. Moreno, Juan Palacio. “Eliminating Cash Bail in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.” Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review. Accessed April 11, 2023. https://harvardcrcl.org/eliminating-cash-bail-in-the-commonwealth-of-pennsylvania/.
  4. News, 69. “ACLU Files Lawsuit over 257 Undated Mail-in Ballots in Race for Court of Common Pleas Seat.” WFMZ.com, March 21, 2022. https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/lehighvalley/aclu-files-lawsuit-over-257-undated-mail-in-ballots-in-race-for-court-of-common/article_1b762f1e-82d3-11ec-bcd5-771d35f5bf50.html.
  5. “Chapters.” ACLU Pennsylvania, May 14, 2019. https://www.aclupa.org/en/chapters.
  6. “Pittsburgh.” ACLU Pennsylvania, August 1, 2022. https://www.aclupa.org/en/chapters/greaterpittsburgh.
  7. “ACLU of Pennsylvania Strategic Framework 2021-2024 pg3.” ACLU Pennsylvania, July 20, 2021. https://www.aclupa.org/en/publications/aclu-pennsylvania-strategic-framework-2021-2024-0.
  8. “About Us.” ACLU Pennsylvania, May 24, 2022. https://www.aclupa.org/en/about/about-us.
  9. “Pa Justice Alliance.” PA JUSTICE ALLIANCE. Accessed April 11, 2023. https://www.pajusticealliance.org/.
  10. “About Amistad Movement Power.” Amistad Movement Power, March 13, 2023. https://amistadpower.org/about-amistad-movement-power.
  11. “Coalition.” PA JUSTICE ALLIANCE. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://www.pajusticealliance.org/coalition.
  12. “About Us.” ACLU Pennsylvania, May 24, 2022. https://www.aclupa.org/en/about/about-us.
  13. Ingrid Burke Friedman | JURIST Editorial Director. “ACLU Alleges Pennsylvania School District Discriminated against after-School Satanist Club.” Jurist. – JURIST – News, March 31, 2023. https://www.jurist.org/news/2023/03/aclu-alleges-pennsylvania-school-district-discriminated-against-after-school-satanist-club/.
  14. lehighvalleylive.com, Kurt Bresswein | For. “Hearing Set This Week in the Satan Temple Inc. vs. Saucon Valley Schools.” lehighvalleylive, April 17, 2023. https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/2023/04/hearing-set-this-week-in-the-satan-temple-inc-vs-saucon-valley-schools.html
  15. Jake JohnsonSep, Jake Johnson, Jake JohnsonJake Johnson is a staff writer for Common Dreams., and Jake Johnson is a staff writer for Common Dreams. “’Huge Victory for Voting Rights’ in Pennsylvania as State Supreme Court Extends Mail-in Ballot Deadline, Allows Voting Drop Boxes.” Common Dreams, September 18, 2020. https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/09/18/huge-victory-voting-rights-pennsylvania-state-supreme-court-extends-mail-ballot.
  16. “Lawsuit over Black Student Union Settled between ACLU, McKeesport Area School District.” CBS News. CBS Interactive, April 30, 2019. https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/aclu-mckeesport-black-student-union-lawsuit-settled/.
  17. “H.C. Et Al v. Chudzik Et Al, No. 5:2022CV01588 – Document 48 (E.D. Pa. 2023).” Justia Law. Accessed April 11, 2023. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/pennsylvania/paedce/5:2022cv01588/596102/48/.
  18. Moreno, Juan Palacio. “Eliminating Cash Bail in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.” Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review. Accessed April 11, 2023. https://harvardcrcl.org/eliminating-cash-bail-in-the-commonwealth-of-pennsylvania/.
  19. “Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.” Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | League of Women Voters. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://www.lwv.org/legal-center/judicial-watch-inc-v-commonwealth-pennsylvania.
  20. “Justia.” Justia Dockets & Filings. Accessed April 18, 2023. https://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/pennsylvania/pamdce/1:2020cv00708/124621/57.
  21. Meyer, Katie. “ACLU Files Last-Minute Suit Arguing Pa.’s Marsy’s Law Amendment Is Unconstitutional.” WHYY. WHYY, October 12, 2019. https://whyy.org/articles/aclu-files-last-minute-suit-arguing-pa-s-marsys-law-amendment-is-unconstitutional/.
  22. “Log into Facebook.” Facebook. Accessed April 11, 2023. https://www.facebook.com/aclupa.
  23. Twitter. Twitter. Accessed April 11, 2023. https://twitter.com/aclupa.
  24. Marble, Olivia. “New Statewide LGBTQ Organization Launched with Lehigh Valley Representation.” LehighValleyNews.com. LehighValleyNews.com, February 3, 2023. https://www.lehighvalleynews.com/business/nonprofit/2023-02-03/new-statewide-lgbtq-organization-launched-with-lehigh-valley-representation.
  25. “Annual Report 2022.” ACLU Pennsylvania, October 11, 2022. https://www.aclupa.org/en/publications/annual-report-2022.
  26. “Sign Up.” LinkedIn. Accessed April 18, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?fetchDeterministicClustersOnly=false&heroEntityKey=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profile%3AACoAAAiHeKYBUhrwDtzkohsRaVMeWDJXfsJhyKU&keywords=claire+landau&origin=RICH_QUERY_TYPEAHEAD_HISTORY&position=0&searchId=addaf5ab-071d-4fe8-a507-a42e47bc831c&sid=4l.
  27. “Proprietor – Law Office of Peter Goldberger – LinkedIn.” Accessed April 11, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-goldberger-0292a431.
  28. Dale, Maryclaire. “Bill Cosby Released from Prison after Court Finds Due Process Violation.” PBS. Public Broadcasting Service, June 30, 2021. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/bill-cosbys-sex-assault-conviction-overturned-by-court
  29. “American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax, (Form 990), 2020 Part I, lines 12, 18, 22.
  30. “American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax, (Form 990), 2020 Part V, Lines 1, 2.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: March - February
  • Tax Exemption Received: April 1, 1972

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Mar Form 990 $2,504,428 $1,389,871 $5,557,499 $306,166 N $2,433,422 $0 $71,006 $34,056
    2019 Mar Form 990 $2,825,442 $1,180,160 $4,274,468 $137,692 N $2,774,572 $0 $50,870 $23,981 PDF
    2018 Mar Form 990 $2,213,288 $973,467 $2,649,595 $158,101 N $2,198,861 $0 $14,427 $24,000 PDF
    2017 Mar Form 990 $1,458,091 $467,139 $1,338,109 $86,436 N $1,457,192 $0 $899 $35,321
    2016 Mar Form 990 $517,639 $615,492 $366,419 $105,698 N $517,286 $0 $353 $35,768 PDF
    2015 Mar Form 990 $548,650 $586,043 $467,770 $109,196 N $548,620 $0 $30 $33,772 PDF
    2014 Mar Form 990 $482,870 $523,803 $455,581 $59,614 N $482,495 $0 $375 $31,587 PDF
    2013 Mar Form 990 $632,207 $521,797 $502,514 $65,614 N $630,140 $0 $2,067 $32,038 PDF
    2012 Mar Form 990 $616,920 $464,756 $369,381 $42,891 N $616,920 $0 $0 $26,059 PDF
    2011 Mar Form 990 $407,067 $405,941 $205,537 $30,740 N $405,298 $0 $1,769 $22,862 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    ACLU Pennsylvania

    1800 JFK BOULEVARD 600
    Philadelphia, PA 19103-7404