Liberty Counsel
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| Liberty Counsel | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Orlando, Fla. |
| Type: | 501(c)(3) |
| Top official: | Anita Staver, President |
| Founder(s): | Matthew Staver |
| Year founded: | 1989 |
| Website: | Official website |
| Budget | |
| 2013: | $3,791,226 |
| 2012: | $4,072,009 |
| 2011: | $4,151,902 |
Liberty Counsel is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that offers pro bono legal counsel. As a Christian ministry organization, the group exclusively represents clients who are "dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family."[1] Liberty Counsel has an affiliated 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, Liberty Counsel Action; a PAC, Liberty Action PAC, is affiliated with the social welfare organization.[2] Liberty Counsel is also closely related to Liberty University, where founder Matthew Staver was the dean of the law school from 2004 to 2014.[3]
Mission
On its website, Liberty Counsel lists its purpose as follows:[1]
| “ | The purpose of this ministry is to preserve religious liberty and help create and maintain a society in which everyone will have the opportunity to discover the truth that will give true freedom.[4] | ” |
Work
On its website, Liberty Counsel defines its scope of work in three broad categories: religious freedom, life and family. They have defended the public display of the Ten Commandments, defended the right to prayer in public schools and worked against the Affordable Care Act because of its proposed funding for abortions.[5] Liberty Counsel's most prominent work has been in advocating against same-sex marriage and for clients who allege religious freedom violations.
The organization has been a strong defender of "conversion therapy aimed at changing the sexual orientation of gay and lesbian minors." In 2014, the group petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to lift a conversion therapy ban in California. The court rejected the case.[6]
In July 2015, after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, Liberty Counsel defended county clerks in both Arkansas and Kentucky when the clerks defied court orders to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The group agreed to represent Pam Bradford, county clerk in Van Buren County, Ark., as well as Kim Davis, county clerk in Rowan County, Ky.[7][8] Bradford began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.[9] Davis did not change her stance and sued former Gov. Steve Beshear (D), who she claims "[infringed] on her religious freedom."[10] In September 2015, Davis was jailed for "defying a federal court order to issue licenses to gay couples."[11] Liberty Counsel was a supporter of Davis' lawsuit against Beshear and her stance against issuing the licenses.[12]
Leadership
Liberty Counsel does not list the names of members of its board of directors. The founder of the organization is Mat Staver, and the president is Anita Staver. Both are attorneys.[13]
Finances
The following is a breakdown of Liberty Counsel's revenues and expenses for the 2011 to 2013 fiscal years:
| Annual revenue and expenses for Liberty Counsel, 2011–2013 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tax Year | Total Revenue | Total Expenses |
| 2013[14] | $4,206,852 | $3,791,226 |
| 2012[15] | $3,869,603 | $4,072,009 |
| 2011[16] | $4,750,490 | $4,151,902 |
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Liberty Counsel'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Liberty Counsel, "About Us," accessed August 11, 2015
- ↑ Liberty Counsel, "2012 Year-End Report," accessed August 11, 2015
- ↑ Liberty University, "President announces resignation of Liberty Law Dean Mat Staver," October 20, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Liberty Counsel, "Victories," accessed August 11, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Supreme Court Declines Case Contesting Ban on Gay 'Conversion Therapy,'" June 30, 2014
- ↑ Arkansas Times, "Van Buren clerk says she won't issue marriage licenses: UPDATE: Changes tune.," July 8, 2015
- ↑ The Courier-Journal, "Filing defends clerk in same-sex marriage fight," July 31, 2015
- ↑ Arkansas Matters, "Update: Van Buren Co. Clerk Changes Stand, Will Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses," July 8, 2015
- ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Rowan County clerk sues Ky. governor; claims same-sex marriage order violates religious freedom," August 5, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Clerk in Kentucky Chooses Jail Over Deal on Same-Sex Marriage," September 3, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Kentucky Clerk Who Said ‘No’ to Gay Couples Won’t Be Alone in Court," September 2, 2015
- ↑ Liberty Counsel, "Leadership," accessed January 25, 2016
- ↑ GuideStar, "Liberty Counsel IRS Form 990 (2013)," accessed August 11, 2015
- ↑ Guidestar, "Liberty Counsel IRS Form 990 (2012)," accessed August 11, 2015
- ↑ Guidestar, "Liberty Counsel IRS Form 990 (2011)," accessed August 11, 2015
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