ACLU and a diverse coalition of national nonprofits win a major victory in challenge to misguided CFC Government Watch List and Contribution Policies.
The federal government, under pressure from the ACLU, other nonprofits and a lawsuit, changed back its misguided policy requiring nonprofits to check employees against innacurate and misleading terrorist watch lists.
Once again federal workers will have a chance to support charities of their choice through payroll contributions, and once again charities no longer have to choose between taking a principled stance for freedom and receiving donations from government employees.
Until 2004, the ACLU Foundation and the ACLU Foundation of Texas participated in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the federal government's program for payroll contributions from government employees, including members of the military, the post office and other federal agencies.
In 2004, the fed's Office of Personnel Management promulgated a new rule requiring nonprofits that participate in the CFC to check employees against notoriously inaccurate "terrorist watch lists." This week the government changed the rule back after a lawsuit was filed by the ACLU and more than one dozen other national nonprofit organizations.
ACLU's national Executive Director Anthony Romero commented, "The administration cannot be proud of thwarting the ability of federal employees to contribute to organizations they support, and the administration's pull-back this week makes it clear we were right."
ACLU of Texas Executive Director Will Harrell said, "Many Texans supported the ACLU through federal workplace giving before these rules came about, and we look forward to reconnecting with our generous supporters during next fall's Combined Federal Campaign now that our government has changed this misguided policy."
The ACLU nationally received about $500,000 a year through the CFC, and forfeited about $1 million by withdrawing from the CFC rather than complying with the watch list requirement. The ACLU Foundation of Texas also received several thousand dollars annually through the CFC.
The ACLU Foundation of Texas currently participates in state and local government workplace giving campaigns through Another Way Texas Shares - one of many ways civil libertarians can make a difference supporting ACLU's work guarding liberty.
More information about making a donation to the ACLU Foundation of Texas is here.
More information about the Combined Federal Campaign and ACLU's victory is available here.
