Rift at A.C.L.U., on Fund-Raising and Leadership

NY Times ^ | December 8, 2005 | STEPHANIE STROM

[neverdem]

Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, departed the war crimes trials at Guantánamo Bay with an e-mail message to members saying he was headed home to New York to defend the First Amendment and the right to protest.

But another matter was more urgent: smoothing out a soured relationship with one of the organization's biggest donors, Peter B. Lewis, the insurance magnate and donor, who was unhappy with Mr. Romero and the board and was threatening to suspend his contributions.

After a red-eye detour to Los Angeles and a breakfast with Mr. Lewis at the Beverly Hills Hotel in August 2004 , Mr. Romero assuaged his concerns and persuaded him to continue his financial support, including an $8.5 million gift largely to buy a new office building in Washington.

Mr. Romero has had less success winning over his critics within the organization itself. Among issues big and small, they have fumed over his commitment to name the new building the Peter B. Lewis Center for Civil Liberties - without consulting the board or its executive committee.

"I don't think it's appropriate for us to name anything after anyone other than a founder or leader of the organization," Marjorie Esman, a lawyer who represents the Louisiana affiliate on the board, wrote afterward in an e-mail message."We are not for sale, and I don't like to convey the impression that we might be."

Mr. Romero's operating style, as shown in the building dispute, has led to a rift in the organization, with some applauding his winning ways and others fretting that fund-raising has become too much of a priority.

Since Mr. Romero stepped into the job just four days before the Sept. 11 attacks, the A.C.L.U. has been transformed. Under his watch, membership and revenues have risen...

[tutstar]

ping

[Cicero]

Peter B. Lewis is the guy who organized the secret billionaire club in support of Jean Kerry, I believe. After kerry's defeat they convened another meeting and vowed to win next time.

Evidently he's some kind of Soros Jr., eager to fund extreme leftist causes.

[conservativeharleyguy]

"Mr. Romero assuaged his concerns and persuaded him to continue his financial support".

Oh, so that's what they're calling a blow job in NYC/Hollywierd these days. Anthony Romero is as queer as a three dollar bill, and that's the primary motivation behind everything he does at the ACLU, to tear down all of "straight" society.

He's as worthless as teats on a hog.

[neverdem]

Peter B. Lewis is the guy who organized the secret billionaire club in support of Jean Kerry, I believe.

I thought Soros was the organizer behind the cabal to stop Bush in '04.

[Malesherbes]

Peter B. Lewis, Chairman and CEO of Progressive Insurance, (auto insurance.)

[listenhillary]

"We are not for sale, and I don't like to convey the impression that we might be."

Compromise then, call it the Head Peter building

[Uncle Miltie]

Boycott Progressive (as if that wasn't obvious already).

[Lancey Howard]

WHO IS this scumbag, Peter B. Lewis, and why would anyone in the market for insurance deal with an America-hating athiest?

[lizma]

I think we are starting to see what the left is doing with extra rope W gave them.

[Lancey Howard]

Ahh. Progressive. Okay.
I already make sure that nobody in my extended family does any business with that outfit.

[Nazarene]

I hope Mr. Lewis knows that Romero is HIV + and has full blown AIDS!!!! Then again, I am sure the ACLU would say that Romero has not obligation to disclose that little factoid before performing the assuaging.

[hsalaw]

."We are not for sale, and I don't like to convey the impression that we might be."

Oh, please; who are they trying to kid? The ACLU is owned, body and soul, by the leftist marxist fringe.

[whershey]

I dropped Progressive years ago after finding out his politics.

[Jay777]

READ MORE AT STOP THE ACLU

[Jay777]

[Cicero]

I think Soros is much better known but, within our borders, Peter B. Lewis is a very similar player. Soros also has a lot of overseas interests, and I don't think Lewis is as active there.

But between them, I have heard they are the two biggest bankrollers of the crazy left. Lewis just doesn't seem to crave publicity the way Soros does.

Probably one reason that the ACLU has gone totally bananas, and now puts gay rights, abortion, and the suppression of religion far above it's traditional mission, the defense of individual liberty, is that people like Lewis have dangled large wads of cash in front of their noses.

The ACLU has always been leftist, but they used to be much more libertarian. Their bottom line has definitely changed over the past 40 years, and they have been more and more shameless about it.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Whose side are they on?


A.C.L.U.'s Search for Data on Donors Stirs Privacy Fears

"... Mr. Romero had advised the Ford Foundation, his former employer, to follow the nation's main antiterrorism law, known as the Patriot Act, in composing language for its grant agreements, helping to ensure that none of its money inadvertently underwrites terrorism or other unacceptable activities. The A.C.L.U., which has vigorously contended that the act threatens civil liberties, had accepted $68,000 from Ford under the new terms by then.

The board voted in October to return the money and reject further grants from Ford and the Rockefeller Foundation, which uses similar language in its grant agreements...."

Sounds like the ACLU would rather not have money--than be prohibited from using it to support terrorism. Whose side are they on and what are we making our Congress do about it?

Contact Your U.S. Representative



Contact Your U.S. Senators

[daviscupper]

LOL.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

http://discoverthenetworks.com/funder.asp