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American Center for Law & Justice

American Center for Law & Justice

The American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ) is a politically conservative, Christian-based social activism and watchdog for corruption organization in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and associated with Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The ACLJ was founded in 1990 by law school graduate and evangelical minister Pat Robertson to protect constitutional and human rights worldwide. ACLJ generally pursues constitutional issues and conservative Christian ideals in courts of law.[1][2][3][4] The leaders of the ACLJ also occasionally engage in public debates to present their perspective on legal and constitutional issues.

American Center for Law & Justice
Formation1990
HeadquartersWashington, D.C., United States
Founder
Pat Robertson
Key people
Jay Sekulow, Jordan Sekulow
Websiteaclj.org [19]

History

The ACLJ arose in part as a right-leaning political answer to the American Civil Liberties Union.[5] The name and acronym, ACLJ, was chosen to contrast with the ACLU.[5] It has attracted much media attention for its lawsuits, such as its campaign to oppose changes to the constitution of Kenya that, according to the group, would permit abortion and Islamic law,[6] and its attempts to block the construction of an Islamic cultural center near the former site of the World Trade Center.[7]

The ACLJ supported blocking the construction of the center through New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission, though the ACLJ in the past has opposed efforts to block churches in the same way. In November 2010, the ACLJ asked that the U.S. Justice Department investigate the Congressional Muslim Staffer Association's weekly prayer session on Capitol Hill, alleging that the organization demonstrated "a pattern of inviting Islamic extremists with ties to terrorism to participate in these events".[8]

In 2018, ACLJ attorney Jay Sekulow was serving on President Donald Trump's personal legal team.[9] Another Sekulow client at the time was the American Christian pastor Andrew Brunson, in detention and facing charges in Turkey.[10]

Europe

In 1997 Jay Sekulow and Thomas Patrick Monaghan, Chief Counsel and Senior Counsel of the ACLJ, respectively, set up the European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ) in Strasbourg as part of the ACLJ's international strategy. Sekulow serves as Chief Counsel for the ECLJ. The following year the ACLJ set up the Slavic Center for Law and Justice (SCLJ) in Moscow. Both organizations on the European mainland have a full-time staff of religious rights attorneys.[11] The ECLJ is active in the United Nations Organization and in the Council of Europe, and represents the interests of certain Christians in the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Africa

The ACLJ is one of several American Christian groups that are promoting conservative Christian laws in Africa, supporting controversial movements regarding LGBT rights, including support in Uganda for criminalizing homosexuality.[12]

Criticism

The ACLJ has been criticized by the ACLU for its stance on putting prayer in public school and by Americans United for confounding support of separation of church and state with being anti-religious.[13] The Human Rights Campaign is critical of the ACLJ's finances citing that the organization does not meet "10 out of 20 of the Better Business Bureau’s standards for charity accountability" and that ACLJ obfuscates how much Sekulow earns from the organization.[14][15][16]

References

[1]
Citation Linkwww1.voanews.com"US Groups Scrutinize Abortion Details in Kenya's Draft Constitution | East Africa | English". .voanews.com. May 24, 2010. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[2]
Citation Linkcontent.usatoday.com"No public school graduation ceremony at megachurch: Judge". USA Today. June 1, 2010.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[3]
Citation Linkwww.foxnews.com"Bill O'Reilly: The FBI and the IRS". Fox News. 2013-07-05. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[4]
Citation Linkallafrica.com"Kenya: The 'Yes' Camp Has It Right". allAfrica.com. June 3, 2010. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[5]
Citation Linkwww.csmonitor.comThe Christian Science Monitor (1994-02-07). "ACLJ VS. ACLU: BATTLING ACRONYMS". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[6]
Citation Linkwww.bbc.co.uk"United States constitution". BBC. May 4, 2010. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[7]
Citation Linkwww.telegraph.co.uk"New York Mosque plans face lawsuit". Daily Telegraph. August 5, 2010. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[8]
Citation Linkweb.archive.orgAP (April 7, 2010). "Conservative Group Calls on Justice Dept. to Investigate Muslim Prayers on Capitol Hill". Fox News. Archived from the original on 13 November 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[9]
Citation Linkportal.issn.orgSwaine, Jon (2018-07-24). "Trump lawyer uses government action on abortion to raise cash for own group". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[10]
Citation Linkwww.newyorker.comToobin, Jeffrey, "How Rudy Giuliani turned into Trump's clown", The New Yorker, September 10, 2018 ed. Retrieved 18-09-03.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[11]
Citation Linkweb.archive.orgEuropean Center for Law and Justice, About ECLJ Archived 2010-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[12]
Citation Linkwww.politicalresearch.orgKapya Kaoma (Nov 5, 2012). "Major Christian Right Actors Seek to Criminalize Homosexuality in Africa". Political Research Associates. Retrieved 2014-02-12.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[13]
Citation Linkwww.csmonitor.comAndrews, 1994 (7 February 1994). "How Other Rights Groups View the ACLJ". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[14]
Citation Linkwww.hrc.org"10 Things You Should Know About the American Center For Law And Justice". Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[15]
Citation Linkgive.org"American Center for Law and Justice". give.org. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[16]
Citation Linkusatoday30.usatoday.comSmietana, Bob (5 September 2011). "Tenn. lawyer's family, firm collect millions from charities". USA Today. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[17]
Citation Linkwww.aclj.orgAmerican Center for Law & Justice
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[18]
Citation Linkwww.youtube.comACLJ's official YouTube page
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[19]
Citation Linkwww.aclj.orgaclj.org
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM
[20]
Citation Linkwww1.voanews.com"US Groups Scrutinize Abortion Details in Kenya's Draft Constitution | East Africa | English"
Sep 19, 2019, 4:20 AM