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ACLU Executive Director Featured in New HBO Documentary

By Robyn Shepherd, ACLU at 10:54am

Our own Anthony D. Romero joins notable names in entertainment, science, politics and sports who are profiled in The Latino List, a documentary and multimedia initiative presented by HBO. The documentary and accompanying book and photo exhibit spotlights the contributions Latinos are making to contemporary society to a variety of fields.

Church, State and LGBT Rights: ACLU's Daniel Mach Appears on In The Life

By Robyn Shepherd, ACLU at 2:19pm

This month's installment of the documentary television program In the Life features our own Daniel Mach of the Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. Each month, In the Life highlights an issue of importance to the LGBT community. Dan was asked to appear to speak about the theme of this month's episode, "Democracy or Theocracy?" explaining how the role of religion in government affects the gay community.

"Honey, We Did It!" – Edie Windsor Says Thank You

By Robyn Shepherd, ACLU at 4:41pm

Yesterday, Edie Windsor visited the ACLU and NYCLU offices to address the media after her amazing victory in her challenge against the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act. Edie filed a lawsuit with the help of the ACLU and the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP against the government after the death of her spouse and partner of 44 years, Thea Spyer. 

 

 

Edie told the press about her lifelong love with Thea during which they were engaged for 40 years, and officially married for two. After Thea’s death, Edie was forced to pay over $363,000 in federal estate taxes that she would not have had to pay if she were married to a man. The government regarded Edie and Thea as legal strangers.

ACLU Lens: White House Affirms Contraception Coverage for Millions of Women

By Robyn Shepherd, ACLU at 1:32pm

Last week, the Obama administration stood for reproductive rights and refused to broaden exemptions to a rule that requires employers to provide health insurance for contraception.

Mojave Cross: The Fight Goes On

By Robyn Shepherd, ACLU at 3:15pm

Yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling in the case Salazar vs. Buono — concerning a cross in the Mojave National Preserve that has been designated as a national memorial — wasn’t quite what we were hoping for, but was also encouraging in some respects. The question of whether or not the government’s sale of the land on which the cross sits to a private veterans’ organization remedies a violation of the Establishment Clause has been sent back to district court. The Supreme Court found that the lower court used the wrong legal standard in deciding to invalidate a transfer of the land on which the cross stands to private ownership. But the opinion does leave the door open to reaching a favorable outcome in the case, and, more importantly, does not preclude private citizens from challenging the constitutionality of religious displays on government property in the future.

ACLU Sues for Info on Predator Drones

By Robyn Shepherd, ACLU at 4:16pm

Today, we filed a lawsuit seeking to enforce a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Defense Department, the State Department and the Justice Department for information regarding the U.S. government's use of armed drones to target and kill individuals in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere. Our request was filed two months ago, and the only response received thus far was from the CIA, which claimed it could neither confirm nor deny the existence of any relevant documents.

Pen Pals: The Attorney General and the Kentucky Senator

By Robyn Shepherd, ACLU at 12:52pm

As you know there has been a lot of politically-motivated criticism of the Obama administration for holding Christmas Day bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in federal custody. This week, Attorney General Eric Holder responded to that criticism with an outstanding letter that comprehensively goes through the reasons why the criminal justice system is more than capable of prosecuting terror suspects.

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