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Non-profit

American Constitutional Rights Union

Location:

Naples, FL
Tax ID:

52-2121856
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2018):

Revenue: $1,279,467
Expenses: $1,437,765
Assets: $1,073,187
Founded:

1998

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The American Constitutional Rights Union (ACRU) is a conservative legal group founded in 1998 as the American Civil Rights Union. 1

Former Reagan administration adviser Robert Carleson started the organization to advocate for the Boy Scouts of America in litigation over whether the Scouts were required to permit openly gay scout leaders. 2 The organization also advocates for election integrity and First and Second Amendment issues. 3

Background

ACRU works to educate the public on constitutional rights. The ACRU regularly files amicus briefs in civil rights cases and publishes opinion pieces in major media outlets. 4 5

The ACRU’s primary issues of focus are economic liberty, federalism, defending freedom of religion, equality under the law, and the right to keep and bear arms. 6 7

Programs

ACRU’s Defense of Civil Rights program has a stated goal of protecting civil rights of all Americans that are enumerated in the Constitution. 8

ACRU’s Election Integrity Defense Fund works with local governments to identify issues with voter registration rolls. 9 In 2013 and 2014, ACRU sent letters to several voting jurisdictions in Mississippi, Texas, Kentucky, Alabama, Arizona, and Florida asserting the number of registered voters exceeded the number of eligible voters in the jurisdiction. 10 11

ACRU also sponsors research and education programs about welfare and entitlement reform. Some of the research is done through its affiliate, the Carleson Center for Welfare Reform. 12

History

Former Reagan administration official Robert Carleson founded the American Civil Rights Union in 1998. 13 A former Eagle Scout, Carleson was concerned about lawsuits and attacks on the freedom of association of the Boy Scouts of America. He determined the “twisting” of the Constitution was larger than the Boy Scouts case, and he founded the ACRU as a counter organization to the left-of-center American Civil Liberties Union. 14

The group’s first amicus brief was filed in Boy Scouts of America, Monmouth Council v. Dale. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that anti-discrimination laws cannot force the Boy Scouts to allow openly gay adults to serve as Scout leaders. 15

Major right-of-center figures such as former Attorney General Edwin Meese, former federal Judge Robert Bork, economist Walter E. Williams, and former Solicitor General and Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr have served as board members. 16

Carleson died in 2006 and his widow, Susan Carleson, became the CEO and chairwoman of the ACRU board of directors. 17

Among other amicus briefs, the ACRU filed arguments in the 2010 Heller vs. District of Columbia gun rights case, in post-election litigation surrounding the 2000 presidential election,18 and Doe v. Reed, a 2010 Supreme Court case about whether a Washington state law requiring disclosure of the names of persons who signed a petition supporting a ballot initiative violated free speech rights. 19

Leadership

Lori Roman is the president of the ACRU. 20 She is the former executive director of the American Legislative Exchange Council. She previously was the deputy director and chief of staff for the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the U.S. Department of Education. 21

Tracey Miller is the vice president of ACRU. She previously worked for the Washington Scholarship Fund. She later formed Credo Strategies, a consulting firm. 22

Susan A. Carleson is the chairwoman of the board of directors and former CEO of the ACRU. 23 Carleson was a formerly a senior adviser to the Greenspan Commission on Social Security Reform, legislative director for former U.S. Rep. Jack Kemp (R-NY), and a Department of Justice attorney in the Reagan Administration. In 2006, she became the CEO of the ACRU after the death of her husband, ACRU founder Robert Carleson. 24

Edwin Meese, who was U.S. attorney general during the Reagan administration, is a member of the board of directors for the ACRU. Meese is a distinguished fellow at the Heritage Foundation and sits on the board of a number of right-leaning public policy groups. 25 26

Morton Blackwell, founder of the Leadership Institute, is also on the ACRU board of directors. He is a former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan. 27 28

David A. Leedom is a member of the ACRU board of directors. 29 He has worked in the public and private sector and is currently a project management consultant. 30

Orit Kwasman is a member of the ACRU board of directors. A communications, event, and fundraising consultant, she was previously the development director at the Faith and Freedom Coalition. 31

Val Stevens is a member of the ACRU board of directors. She is a former Washington state legislator, having served as state senator from 1996 to 2013 and as a state representative from 1993 to 1996. 32

References

  1. “Mission Statement.” American Constitutional Rights Union. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://theacru.org/about-the-acru/
  2. “Conservative Spotlight: The American Civil Rights Union.” Human Events. April 2, 2008. https://humanevents.com/2008/04/02/conservative-spotlight-the-american-civil-rights-union/
  3. “American Constitutional Rights Union.” Cause IQ. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/american-civil-rights-union,522121856/
  4. “American Constitutional Rights Union.” Cause IQ. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/american-civil-rights-union,522121856/
  5. “Mission Statement.” American Constitutional Rights Union. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://theacru.org/about-the-acru/
  6. “Conservative Spotlight: The American Civil Rights Union.” Human Events. April 2, 2008. https://humanevents.com/2008/04/02/conservative-spotlight-the-american-civil-rights-union/
  7. “Mission Statement.” American Constitutional Rights Union. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://theacru.org/about-the-acru/
  8. “American Constitutional Rights Union.” Cause IQ. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/american-civil-rights-union,522121856/
  9. “American Constitutional Rights Union.” Cause IQ. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/american-civil-rights-union,522121856/
  10. Levy, Pema. “The Three Lawyers Who’ve Purged Thousands of Voters.” Mother Jones. December 23, 2019. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/12/the-three-lawyers-whove-purged-thousands-of-voters/
  11. Barszewski, Larry. “Group asks appeals court to hear case to purge voter rolls.” South Florida Sun-Sentinel. April 30, 2018. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-sb-acru-appeals-snipes-decision-broward-elections-20180430-story.html
  12. “American Constitutional Rights Union.” Great Nonprofits. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://greatnonprofits.org/org/american-constitutional-rights-union
  13. “American Constitutional Rights Union.” Topics. Washington Times. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/american-civil-rights-union/
  14. “Conservative Spotlight: The American Civil Rights Union.” Human Events. April 2, 2008. https://humanevents.com/2008/04/02/conservative-spotlight-the-american-civil-rights-union/
  15. “Conservative Spotlight: The American Civil Rights Union.” Human Events. April 2, 2008. https://humanevents.com/2008/04/02/conservative-spotlight-the-american-civil-rights-union/
  16. “Conservative Spotlight: The American Civil Rights Union.” Human Events. April 2, 2008. https://humanevents.com/2008/04/02/conservative-spotlight-the-american-civil-rights-union/
  17. “Conservative Spotlight: The American Civil Rights Union.” Human Events. April 2, 2008. https://humanevents.com/2008/04/02/conservative-spotlight-the-american-civil-rights-union/
  18. “Conservative Spotlight: The American Civil Rights Union.” Human Events. April 2, 2008. https://humanevents.com/2008/04/02/conservative-spotlight-the-american-civil-rights-union/
  19. Liptak, Adam. “Before Gay Marriage Fight, Clashes on Free Speech.” New York Times. April 19, 2010. Accessed June 5, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/us/20bar.html
  20. American Constitutional Rights Union, Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990, 2019.
  21. “Board of Directors and President.” American Constitutional Rights Union. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://theacru.org/board-of-directors/
  22. “ACRU Staff and Advisors.” American Constitutional Rights Union.” Accessed June 4, 2021. https://theacru.org/acru-staff-advisors/
  23. American Constitutional Rights Union, Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990, 2019. 
  24. “Board of Directors and President.” American Constitutional Rights Union. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://theacru.org/board-of-directors/
  25. American Constitutional Rights Union, Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990, 2019.
  26. “Board of Directors and President.” American Constitutional Rights Union. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://theacru.org/board-of-directors/
  27. American Constitutional Rights Union, Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990, 2019. 
  28. “Board of Directors and President.” American Constitutional Rights Union. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://theacru.org/board-of-directors/
  29. American Constitutional Rights Union, Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990, 2019.
  30. “Board of Directors and President.” American Constitutional Rights Union. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://theacru.org/board-of-directors/
  31. “Board of Directors and President.” American Constitutional Rights Union. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://theacru.org/board-of-directors/
  32. “Board of Directors and President.” American Constitutional Rights Union. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://theacru.org/board-of-directors/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: June 1, 1999

    • 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
    2018 Dec Form 990 $1,279,467 $1,437,765 $1,073,187 $7,929 N $1,102,964 $0 $12,577 $148,000 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $3,119,465 $3,542,825 $1,497,748 $247,701 N $2,966,995 $0 $5,825 $143,833 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $4,192,713 $3,900,863 $1,711,455 $54,517 N $4,002,889 $0 $6,071 $138,000
    2015 Dec Form 990 $4,761,663 $4,591,647 $1,414,915 $59,616 N $4,519,996 $0 $7,222 $138,000 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $2,396,366 $2,290,894 $1,333,297 $134,532 N $2,141,438 $0 $18,213 $130,000 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $2,860,796 $2,799,546 $1,360,622 $285,401 N $2,516,652 $0 $17,181 $117,000 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $2,616,229 $2,432,230 $1,279,884 $261,972 N $2,353,635 $0 $18,295 $126,424 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $3,034,754 $3,526,959 $1,126,297 $358,884 N $2,782,576 $0 $21,095 $225,560 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    American Constitutional Rights Union

    405 Fifth Avenue South
    Naples, FL 34102-6515