Non-profit

Liberty Counsel

Website:

lc.org

Location:

Orlando, FL

Tax ID:

59-2986294

Budget (2015):

Revenue: $5,572,566
Expenses: $5,263,709
Assets: $2,666,429

Founded:

1989 1

References

  1. “About.” Liberty Counsel. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://lc.org/about

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

Liberty Counsel is a conservative legal group that focuses on defending religious liberty. 1 It has also been involved in cases supporting pro-life causes and opposing same-sex marriage. 2 3 In 2022, the organization filed several lawsuits on behalf of workers who sought a religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine. 4

Background

Liberty Counsel is an Orlando, Florida-based religious freedom organization founded in 1989 with offices in Washington, D.C. and Virginia. 5 Liberty Counsel says that it is a Christian ministry and that every ministry and project of the group is based upon Christian scripture. 6 7

Liberty Counsel’s board of directors has adopted a Christian doctrinal statement affirmed by every staffer. However, the group does not limit its legal services to Christians and says the rights of Christians are impacted by the rights of others. The organization coordinates with other religious liberty, pro-life and pro-family organizations. 8

In 2003, Liberty University School of Law entered into a partnership with Liberty Counsel to establish the Center for Constitutional Litigation and Policy on Liberty University’s Lynchburg, Virginia, campus. 9

Liberty Counsel has defended the public display of the Ten Commandments and defended the right to prayer in public schools. 10 Liberty Counsel has also argued against bans on so-called “conversion therapy” targeted to gay and lesbian minors. 11

Leadership

Matthew D. Staver is the chairman and founder of Liberty Counsel. 12 He is also the vice president and chief counsel of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference which includes more than 42,000 Evangelical Hispanic churches. Previously, he was a vice president of Liberty University and a former dean at Liberty University School of Law. He is the host of the Faith and Freedom podcast and radio program. 13

Anita L. Staver is the president and general counsel of Liberty Counsel and an attorney. 14 She is also the general counsel for Liberty Counsel Action. She is admitted to practice before all 12 federal courts of appeals. She co-authored two law review articles and wrote for The Popular Encyclopedia of Christian Counseling. 15

Litigation Activities

Liberty Counsel litigates pro bono for individuals, organizations, and churches defending religious liberty, the sanctity of human life, and family issues. 16

Liberty Counsel successfully argued to keep the Child Evangelism Fellowship Good News Clubs in multiple states where school districts attempted to ban the Christian clubs on school grounds. 17

The group defended pastors in Houston, Texas when the mayor subpoenaed their sermons to try to determine if they opposed a city gender-identity ordinance. 18

Clerks Opposed to Same-Sex Marriage

Liberty Counsel represented Pam Bradford, the county clerk in Van Buren County, Arkansas, and Kim Davis, the county clerk in Rowan County, Kentucky. Bradford eventually began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Davis instead sued the state and said her religious liberties were infringed on. After a federal judge ordered Davis to jail in September 2015 for defying a federal court order to issue licenses to gay couples, Liberty Counsel defended her stance. 19

COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

Liberty Counsel sued the U.S. military in 2022 after it denied religious exemptions to servicemembers from the COVID-19 vaccine. The Defense Department granted just four of about 29,000 requests for exemptions. 20

The organization scored a victory in July when the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio imposed a national preliminary injunction against the U.S. Air Force imposing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on those making religious objections. 21

Further, Liberty Counsel represented 523 current and former health care workers at North Shore University Health System who had religious objections to the COVID-19 vaccine. In August 2022, the company reached a $10.3 million settlement in a class action lawsuit. 22

Affiliate Organizations and Events

The Liberty Church Council is the spiritual, theological, and doctrinal advisory body of Liberty Counsel. Liberty Counsel Action is a ministry focused on education and public policy.

The Liberty Prayer Network is an international prayer ministry. 23

Liberty Relief International is an international humanitarian ministry to persecuted Christians and religious minorities. Faith and Liberty is a Christian outreach to top-level federal government officials in Washington, D.C. 24

The National Pro-life Center is a pro-life initiative on Capitol Hill. 25 Liberty Counsel’s New Revolution Publishers produces books and educational materials on American history, the Founding Fathers, first principles, and Christian citizen activism. 26

Liberty Counsel has also sponsored Christians in Defense of Israel and the Liberty Ambassador Counsel connects Americans with the state of Israel. 27

Liberty Counsel has conducted the annual “Friend or Foe” Graduation Prayer Campaign designed to educate and, if necessary, litigate to ensure that prayer and religious viewpoints are not suppressed during graduation ceremonies. 28

References

  1. Blankley, Bethany. “Liberty Counsel: Military members with denied religious exemption requests face ‘cruel and unusual punishment.’” The Center Square. April 18, 2022. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/liberty-counsel-military-members-with-denied-religious-exemption-requests-face-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/article_1a041be0-bf47-11ec-b711-c7e044984c52.html
  2. “Liberty Counsel.” Ballotpedia. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://ballotpedia.org/Liberty_Counsel
  3. “Liberty Counsel.” Cause IQ. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/liberty-counsel,592986294/
  4. Gavin, Kathleen Steele. “$10.3 million settlement sends ‘strong warning’ to employers with vaccine mandates, attorney says.” McKnight Business Daily. August 5, 2022. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.mcknightsseniorliving.com/home/news/business-daily-news/10-3-million-settlement-sends-strong-warning-to-employers-with-vaccine-mandates-attorney-says/
  5. Blankley, Bethany. “Liberty Counsel: Military members with denied religious exemption requests face ‘cruel and unusual punishment.’” The Center Square. April 18, 2022. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/liberty-counsel-military-members-with-denied-religious-exemption-requests-face-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/article_1a041be0-bf47-11ec-b711-c7e044984c52.html
  6. “About.” Liberty Counsel. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://lc.org/about
  7. “About.” Liberty Counsel. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://lc.org/about
  8. “Leadership.” Liberty Counsel. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://lc.org/leadership
  9. Staff. “Liberty law school, Liberty Counsel launch religious liberty center.” Baptist Press. October 24, 2003. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/liberty-law-school-liberty-counsel-launch-religious-liberty-center/
  10. “Liberty Counsel.” Ballotpedia. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://ballotpedia.org/Liberty_Counsel
  11. [1] Joachim, David S. “Supreme Court Declines Case Contesting Ban on Gay ‘Conversion Therapy’.” The New York Times. The New York Times, June 30, 2014. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/01/us/supreme-court-declines-case-contesting-ban-on-gay-conversion-therapy.html?_r=1.
  12. “Leadership.” Liberty Counsel. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://lc.org/leadership
  13.  “Matthew D. Staver.” Liberty Counsel. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://lc.org/mat-staver
  14. “Leadership.” Liberty Counsel. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://lc.org/leadership
  15.  “Anita L. Staver.” Liberty Counsel. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://lc.org/anita-staver
  16. “Liberty Counsel.” Cause IQ. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/liberty-counsel,592986294/
  17. “Liberty Counsel.” Cause IQ. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/liberty-counsel,592986294/
  18. “Liberty Counsel.” Cause IQ. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/liberty-counsel,592986294/
  19. “Liberty Counsel.” Ballotpedia. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://ballotpedia.org/Liberty_Counsel
  20. [1] Blankley, Bethany. “Liberty Counsel: Military continues to deny religious exemptions as Navy SEALs head to court.” Center Square. February 9, 2022. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/liberty-counsel-military-continues-to-deny-religious-exemptions-as-navy-seals-head-to-court/article_638e3c8a-89b1-11ec-a3e0-070cf44b8fed.html
  21. Blankley, Bethany. “Federal court orders Air Force to not impose vaccine mandate on members who’ve filed religious exemptions.” The Center Square. July 29, 2022. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/federal-court-orders-air-force-to-not-impose-vaccine-mandate-on-members-who-ve-filed/article_a389db88-0f39-11ed-a7c8-3b41c2e2a497.html
  22. Gavin, Kathleen Steele. “$10.3 million settlement sends ‘strong warning’ to employers with vaccine mandates, attorney says.” McKnight Business Daily. August 5, 2022. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.mcknightsseniorliving.com/home/news/business-daily-news/10-3-million-settlement-sends-strong-warning-to-employers-with-vaccine-mandates-attorney-says/
  23.  About.” Liberty Counsel. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://lc.org/about
  24. “About.” Liberty Counsel. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://lc.org/about
  25. “About.” Liberty Counsel. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://lc.org/about
  26.  “Liberty Counsel.” Cause IQ. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/liberty-counsel,592986294/
  27. “Liberty Counsel.” Cause IQ. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/liberty-counsel,592986294/
  28. “Liberty Counsel.” Cause IQ. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/liberty-counsel,592986294/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 2019

  • 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
    2015 Jun Form 990 $5,572,566 $5,263,709 $2,666,429 $1,148,815 Y $5,315,764 $126,500 $10,398 $455,305 PDF
    2014 Jun Form 990 $4,206,852 $3,791,226 $2,258,315 $1,049,558 Y $4,134,291 $13,000 $16,448 $377,744 PDF
    2013 Jun Form 990 $3,869,603 $4,072,009 $1,825,625 $1,032,494 Y $3,510,221 $216,347 $8,049 $341,966 PDF
    2012 Jun Form 990 $4,750,490 $4,151,902 $1,447,918 $452,381 N $4,227,273 $483,702 $0 $340,737 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Liberty Counsel

    PO BOX 540774
    Orlando, FL 32854-0774