Press Releases Archives - Page 17 of 17

Court Strikes Down Obamacare

By ACRU Staff|2010-12-14T15:10:40-05:00December 14th, 2010|

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia Monday struck down as unconstitutional the individual mandate in President Obama’s health care takeover scheme, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The individual mandate is the provision that all individuals without employer provided health insurance purchase health insurance with all of the benefits and provisions as specified by the federal government.

Federal Judge Henry Hudson ruled that the federal government does not have the power to impose such an individual mandate under any of the enumerated powers of The Constitution. However, even though the legislation does not include a severability clause, which traditionally provides […]

Recalling Senator Kent Conrad

By ACRU Staff|2010-10-20T19:33:08-04:00October 20th, 2010|

Tea Party organizers in North Dakota go to court today in their attempted recall of four-term Sen. Kent Conrad. Oral arguments were heard this morning in the North Dakota Supreme Court in the case of RecallND v. Jaegar arising out of the refusal by North Dakota Secretary of State Al Jaegar to begin the recall process upon the proper filing by The Committee to Recall Senator Conrad. The Committee is seeking a court order to allow the recall process to proceed.

The issue of recall of United States Senators is now before two state Supreme Courts, as oral argument was heard in May before the New […]

Complaint Filed in North Dakota Supreme Court to Allow Recall of U.S. Senator Kent Conrad

By ACRU Staff|2010-07-21T16:55:44-04:00July 21st, 2010|

On July 14, North Dakota joined New Jersey in an effort to recall a U.S. Senator.

RecallND filed a complaint with the North Dakota Supreme Court claiming that the state’s Secretary of State has unconstitutionally blocked a petition to recall U.S. Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND).

The complaint indicates that on May 13 North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem published an opinion concluding that the North Dakota State Constitution does not allow for the recall of a U.S. Senator. On the same day, the office of the North Dakota Secretary of State claimed to have no authority to approve the circulation of RecallND’s recall petition.

ACRU Files Brief Urging N.J. Supreme Court to Allow Menendez Recall Petitions

By ACRU Staff|2020-04-23T21:52:58-04:00May 11th, 2010|

On May 10, 2010, the American Civil Rights Union filed a brief with the New Jersey Supreme Court urging the justices to affirm a state appellate court ruling ordering the Secretary of State to recognize a recall notice for U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D). If the court concurs, petitioners could begin immediately to collect the 1.3 million signatures needed within 320 days to put Menendez on the ballot. Menendez, who was elected in 2006, is not slated for re-election until 2012.

“The New Jersey Supreme Court must either affirm the ruling of the court below, or expressly overrule all the New Jersey precedents holding that […]

Stage Set for Recall Battle in North Dakota

By ACRU Staff|2010-04-06T11:47:18-04:00April 6th, 2010|

ACRU Responds to North Dakota Secretary of State’s Denial of Citizens’ Effort to Recall Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)

Bismarck, ND—North Dakota is one of ten states with broad language in its constitution to recall elected officials (www.recallcongressnow.org). Yet, in a letter dated 25 March, 2010, Alvin Jaeger, North Dakota’s Secretary of State, refused to provide the procedures by which a member of Congress could be recalled from the office they hold to a citizen of North Dakota. The ACRU contends that to deny this request is to deny the citizens of North Dakota their constitutional right of recall.

In response […]

Terrorists Using 1960s Legal Precedent

By ACRU Staff|2020-04-23T21:58:21-04:00June 12th, 2008|

Terrorists Using 1960s Legal Precedent to Escape Punishment

New Study Exposes the “Terrorist Get Out of Jail Free Card”

In a report released today by the American Civil Rights Union, best-selling author and terrorism expert Richard Miniter demonstrates how a 1969 Supreme Court ruling is being used to get terrorists off scot-free–an extremely pertinent issue, given today’s ruling by the Supreme Court that Guantanamo Bay detainees are allowed access to civilian courts.

The case, Brandenburg v. Ohio, effectively safeguards suspected terrorists from prosecution by categorizing their fatwas–or calls to terrorism–as protected free speech if the threat does not designate a specific date and […]

Heller v. DC

By ACRU Staff|2008-03-23T20:43:38-04:00March 23rd, 2008|

Gun control laws in the District of Columbia effectively ban the use of handguns, or other guns, for self-defense within the home. Heller is a Federal security guard charged with helping to protect the Federal judiciary at the Federal Judicial Center in Washington DC. In that capacity, he is armed with a handgun for his work during the day. Heller wants to keep a handgun within his home in Washington DC for self-defense during the evening. He applied for a permit for such a gun but was denied, as required under DC law since 1976. He sued the city claiming that the DC gun control laws effectively […]

ACRU files Amicus Curiae in Heller v. DC

By ACRU Staff|2023-05-20T09:40:53-04:00October 9th, 2007|

The American Civil Rights Union filed an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on October 5, urging the Court to take the appeal of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decision last March holding that the Second Amendment does protect an individual right of citizens to keep and bear arms. The ACRU wants the Court to take the case to affirm and thereby greatly strengthen this landmark ruling.