147-461: David Alexander Clarke Jr. (born August 21, 1956) is an American former law enforcement official who served as Sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin , from 2002 to 2017. In 2002, Clarke was appointed to the position by Republican governor Scott McCallum and later elected that same year to his first four-year term. He was reelected in November 2006, 2010 and 2014. Although Clarke declared himself as
294-773: A 501(c)(4) corporation–called ACLU–which is entitled to lobby. Both organizations share staff and offices. ACLU affiliates are the basic unit of the ACLU's organization and engage in litigation, lobbying, and public education. For example, in 2020, the ACLU's New Jersey chapter argued 26 cases before the New Jersey Supreme Court , about one-third of the total cases heard in that court. They sent over 50,000 emails to officials or agencies and had 28 full-time staff. A leaked ACLU memo from June 2018 said that speech that can "inflict serious harms" and "impede progress toward equality" may be
441-450: A "gross and arbitrary abuse of power " and ordered an unlawful stop and detention. An ensuing civil lawsuit by Black resulted in 2018 in a verdict in Clarke's favor; the jury found that Clarke's Facebook posts did not chill Black's exercise of his First Amendment rights. The incident drew national attention, prompting federal investigations to examine Clarke's conduct. In a May 2017 letter,
588-496: A December 2015 appearance on his radio program, where he asserted that there were "hundreds of thousands" or "maybe a million" people who "have pledged allegiance or are supporting ISIS, giving aid and comfort", and stated that "our commander in chief ought to utilize Article I, Section 9" to imprison them at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp "and hold them indefinitely under a suspension of habeas corpus". After his appointment to
735-471: A Democrat after his appointment as sheriff and ran as a Democrat in a heavily Democratic county, many of Clarke's political views align with those of conservative Republicans ; he refused to join the Wisconsin Democratic Party , instead promoting conservative views, and allying himself with Republican officials. As sheriff, Clarke frequently clashed with other Milwaukee County officials over
882-468: A Democrat, was initially appointed by a Republican governor, stated that he considered himself nonpartisan, and espoused politically conservative positions. Former County Executive Scott Walker was a Republican member of the Wisconsin State Assembly before being elected county executive in a 2002 special election and elected to full terms in 2004 and 2008, though the office of county executive
1029-444: A Milwaukee County jury found probable cause that seven jail employees (two supervisors, five officers) had committed a crime—specifically, abuse of a resident of a penal facility—and recommended that charges be brought. In February 2018, three Milwaukee jail officers were charged with a felony in connection with Thomas's death. Clarke was not charged. District Attorney John T. Chisholm said "he believed his office had charged
1176-474: A Russian pro-firearms organization, founded by Maria Butina , a Russian national, who pleaded guilty in 2018 to being an unregistered Russian agent . During the meeting, Clarke met the Russian foreign minister and attended a conference at which Russian official Aleksander Torshin , a close ally of Vladimir Putin , spoke. In 2018, Clarke attracted attention for using Twitter to promote a conspiracy theory about
1323-399: A barrage of local ordinances that banned screenings deemed immoral or obscene. Even public health films portraying pregnancy and birth were banned, as was Life magazine's April 11, 1938, issue, which included photos of the birth process. The ACLU fought these bans but did not prevail. The Catholic Church attained increasing political influence in the 1930s; it used its influence to promote
1470-517: A contentious six-hour debate – Flynn was voted off the ACLU's board. The 1940 resolution was considered by many to be a betrayal of its fundamental principles. The resolution was rescinded in 1968, and Flynn was posthumously reinstated to the ACLU in 1970. The ACLU had a decidedly mixed civil liberties record during World War II. While there were far fewer sedition prosecutions than in World War I, this did not mean that President Roosevelt
1617-468: A county demanding the removal of a Ten Commandments display from its courthouse; a second Ten Commandments case in the state, in a different county, led to a $ 74,462 judgment. The State of Tennessee was required to pay $ 50,000, the State of Alabama $ 175,000, and the State of Kentucky $ 121,500, in similar Ten Commandments cases. Most of the organization's workload is performed by its local affiliates. There
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#17333174162411764-583: A crime." The De Jonge case marked the start of an era lasting for a dozen years, during which Roosevelt appointees (led by Hugo Black , William O. Douglas , and Frank Murphy ) established a body of civil liberties law. In 1938, Justice Harlan F. Stone wrote the famous "footnote four" in United States v. Carolene Products Co. in which he suggested that state laws which impede civil liberties would – henceforth – require compelling justification. Senator Robert F. Wagner proposed
1911-552: A department official defended the purchase. In January 2014, Clarke announced he was considering a run for mayor of Milwaukee in 2016 , but ultimately decided not to run, instead endorsing Republican Alderman Bob Donovan's unsuccessful bid to unseat Mayor Tom Barrett . In January 2008, a National Institute of Corrections audit of the Milwaukee County House of Correction in Franklin identified 44 areas of concern, calling
2058-438: A federal jury awarded $ 6.7 million in a lawsuit by a woman who accused a Milwaukee County Jail guard of raping her on at least five occasions when she was 19 years old and pregnant. Criminal charges of sexual assault had been dropped against the guard after he pled no contest to lesser charges in 2014. In July 2016, a pregnant inmate at the jail with serious mental illness went into labor and the newborn baby died. The mother filed
2205-548: A federal lawsuit against the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, stating that she was denied medical attention before her pregnancy, had medical appointments canceled, received prenatal vitamins only once, and was "laughed at" by guards after going into labor. This death and others at the jail prompted calls for Clarke's resignation from a county supervisor and several Democratic state legislators. In 2006, Clarke invited members of an Evangelical Christian organization,
2352-469: A following among conservatives with his provocative social media presence and strong support of Donald Trump". His prominence as a right-wing firebrand has made him a controversial and polarizing figure. He has criticized Planned Parenthood , suggesting instead that it be renamed "Planned Genocide". In 2015, Clarke received criticism for his statement on his podcast: "Let me tell you why blacks sell drugs and involve themselves in criminal behavior instead of
2499-415: A homicide detective; he was promoted to lieutenant of detectives in 1993 and captain in 1999. Clarke's career was not without controversy; in 1994, the mother of a 15-year-old boy filed a complaint alleging that Clarke used excessive force when arresting her son. According to public documents, Clarke was returning from a vacation when he spotted five teenagers heaving rocks at passing cars. Clarke chased down
2646-509: A legal aid society centered on store front offices in low-income neighborhoods. The ACLU directors rejected that proposal. Other ACLU members wanted the ACLU to shift focus into the political arena and be more willing to compromise their ideals to strike deals with politicians. The ACLU leadership also rejected this initiative. The ACLU's support of defendants with unpopular, sometimes extreme, viewpoints has produced many landmark court cases and established new civil liberties. One such defendant
2793-565: A long-running, high-profile tiff" over the issue with Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele , "with Clarke providing the more incendiary rhetoric". Abele's proposed budget for 2014 would cut $ 12 million from the Sheriff's Office budget, eliminating 69 jobs and "shifting park patrols, emergency management, 911 communications and training divisions" to other entities, such as the Milwaukee Police Department, suburban police departments, and
2940-535: A lower priority for the organization. The ACLU opposes any effort to create a national registry of gun owners and has worked with the National Rifle Association of America to prevent a registry from being created, and it has favored protecting the right to carry guns under the 4th Amendment. The ACLU opposes state censorship of the Confederate flag . A variety of persons and organizations support
3087-458: A more active role in protecting civil liberties—was De Jonge v. Oregon , in which a communist labor organizer was arrested for calling a meeting to discuss unionization. The ACLU attorney Osmond Fraenkel , working with International Labor Defense , defended De Jonge in 1937 and won a major victory when the Supreme Court ruled that "peaceable assembly for lawful discussion cannot be made
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#17333174162413234-533: A more socially acceptable lifestyle: because they're uneducated, they're lazy and they're morally bankrupt. That's why." In 2017, Clarke attracted attention and criticism for trading racial insults with Marc Lamont Hill , an African-American CNN commentator; on Twitter, Clarke used a racial slur (" jigaboo ") to insult Hill. Clarke is a frequent and vociferous critic of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, referring to it as "Black Lies Matter" and describing
3381-801: A new name, the American Civil Liberties Union. Although a handful of other organizations in the United States at that time focused on civil rights, such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP ) and Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the ACLU was the first that did not represent a particular group of persons or a single theme. Like the CLB, the NAACP pursued litigation to work on civil rights, including efforts to overturn
3528-570: A newspaper from publishing, simply because the newspaper had a reputation for being scandalous. The late 1930s saw the emergence of a new era of tolerance in the United States. National leaders hailed the Bill of Rights , particularly as it protected minorities, as the essence of democracy. The 1939 Supreme Court decision in Hague v. Committee for Industrial Organization affirmed the right of communists to promote their cause. Even conservative elements, such as
3675-541: A personal friend of Luke E. Hart , the then–Supreme Advocate and future Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus , offered to join forces with the Knights to challenge the law. The Knights of Columbus pledged an immediate $ 10,000 to fight the law and any additional funds necessary to defeat it. The case became known as Pierce v. Society of Sisters , a United States Supreme Court decision that significantly expanded coverage of
3822-943: A podcast talk show, David Clarke: The People's Sheriff , on Glenn Beck 's TheBlaze Radio Network , where he has expressed support for the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge . Clarke also frequently appeared as a guest on Fox News , and on one occasion in September 2015 guest-hosted The Sean Hannity Show . However, in March 2019, The Daily Beast reported that Clarke had essentially been banned from Fox News and that he had not appeared on Fox News since February 2018. He also appeared on CNN, Fox News, and other major news outlets to discuss ongoing police controversies. Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Milwaukee County ( / m ɪ l ˈ w ɔː k i / )
3969-538: A possible position in his administration. In May 2017, Clarke said in a radio interview that he would take the post of Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Partnership and Engagement in the Trump administration . The White House declined to comment, and the Department of Homeland Security stated that no appointment had been officially made. The position does not require Senate confirmation . The DHS did not say whether
4116-522: A schism formed over whether to represent Benjamin Spock 's anti-war activism. In 1973, as the Watergate Scandal continued to unfold, leadership was initially divided over whether to call for President Nixon 's impeachment and removal from office. In 2005, there was internal conflict about whether or not a gag rule should be imposed on ACLU employees to prevent the publication of internal disputes. In
4263-670: A town, state, or federal agency may be required to change its laws or behave differently, but not to pay monetary damages except by an explicit statutory waiver. In some cases, the law permits plaintiffs who successfully sue government agencies to collect money damages or other monetary relief. In particular, the Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Award Act of 1976 leaves the government liable in some civil rights cases. Fee awards under this civil rights statute are considered "equitable relief" rather than damages, and government entities are not immune from equitable relief. Under laws such as this,
4410-511: Is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin . At the 2020 census , the population was 939,489, down from 947,735 in 2010. It is both the most populous and most densely populated county in Wisconsin, and the 45th most populous county nationwide ; Milwaukee , its eponymous county seat , is also the most populous city in the state. It was named after the Milwaukee River . The county
4557-616: Is allies with the National Rifle Association, which has raised funds for his re-election campaigns. Clarke has in turn been criticized by the local Democratic Party. On his website in 2014, Clarke stated that he questioned "why the Office of Sheriff is a partisan election" and wrote: "I have never asked a person to vote for me because I run as a Democrat. I ask them to vote for me based on my 35-year commitment to keeping citizens safe. Most voters get it when it comes to public safety. There
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4704-496: Is already providing representation. In addition to representing persons and organizations in lawsuits, the ACLU lobbies for policy positions established by its board of directors. The ACLU's current positions include opposing the death penalty ; supporting same-sex marriage and the right of LGBT people to adopt ; supporting reproductive rights such as birth control and abortion rights ; eliminating discrimination against women, minorities , and LGBT people; decarceration in
4851-414: Is an American nonprofit civil rights organization founded in 1920. ACLU affiliates are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. , and Puerto Rico . The ACLU provides legal assistance in cases where it considers civil liberties at risk. Legal support from the ACLU can take the form of direct legal representation or preparation of amicus curiae briefs expressing legal arguments when another law firm
4998-616: Is at least one affiliate organization in each state, as well as one in Washington, D.C. , and in Puerto Rico . California has three affiliates. The affiliates operate autonomously from the national organization; each affiliate has its own staff, executive director, board of directors, and budget. Each affiliate consists of two non-profit corporations: a 501(c)(3) corporation–called the ACLU Foundation–that does not perform lobbying, and
5145-410: Is making personal attacks and making light of a serious problem in our community and state". On another occasion, Clarke said that Abele had " penis envy ". In 2015, Clarke clashed with Abele again after Clarke filed a lawsuit against the county over the sheriff's budget, seeking $ 25 million in funds to hire 75 deputies, 43 House of Corrections officers and 17 supervisors. Clarke argued that his office
5292-487: Is no Democrat or Republican way to be a sheriff. The enemy is not the opposing party; the enemy is the criminal." In 2016, Maurice Chammah of The Marshall Project characterized Clarke as an "iconoclastic sheriff", one of "a long line of controversy-courting lawmen" that includes Richard Mack and Joe Arpaio in Arizona. Clarke attracted attention for "dalliances with the far right" over time including his acceptance in 2013 of
5439-514: Is nonpartisan. Former Governor Tommy Thompson , a Republican, won Milwaukee County in his 1994 and 1998 reelection campaigns—to date, the last time a statewide Republican candidate won the county. In May 2019, the Milwaukee County executive became the first local government in the US to issue a declaration stating that racism constitutes a public health emergency . Bus service in Milwaukee County
5586-411: Is now Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. In 1846 Waukesha County was created by taking from Milwaukee all of the territory west of range 21, reducing Milwaukee County to its present boundaries. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,189 square miles (3,080 km ), of which 241 square miles (620 km ) is land and 948 square miles (2,460 km ) (80%) is water. It
5733-524: Is provided by the Milwaukee County Transit System , which operates almost 370 buses. The city of Milwaukee also operates The Hop tram system in the downtown area. School districts include: K-12: Secondary: Elementary: Charter schools : 43°00′00″N 87°58′02″W / 43.00°N 87.96713°W / 43.00; -87.96713 American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU )
5880-533: Is the third-smallest county in Wisconsin by land area. It is watered by the Milwaukee, Menomonee , Kinnickinnic , and Root Rivers. The surface is undulating, and the soil calcareous and fertile. As of the census of 2020 , the population was 939,489. The population density was 3,890.5 people per square mile (1,502.1 people/km ). There were 424,191 housing units at an average density of 1,756.6 units per square mile (678.2 units/km ). The racial makeup of
6027-540: Is underfunded by the county, while Abele noted that the sheriff's office had received the largest increase of any county department and criticized Clarke for having what he termed "a very heavy command staff", "a lot of unnecessary overtime", and redundancies in courthouse security. Clarke sued Abele, alleging that he had violated Clarke's right to free speech through the budget process; a federal judge dismissed Clarke's suit in April 2016. A county audit released in 2012 showed that
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6174-574: The American Bar Association , began to campaign for civil liberties, which were long considered to be the domain of left-leaning organizations. By 1940, the ACLU had achieved many of the goals it set in the 1920s, and many of its policies were the law of the land. In 1929, after the Scopes and Dennett victories, Baldwin perceived that there was vast, untapped support for civil liberties in the United States. Baldwin proposed an expansion program for
6321-618: The American Legion , the National Civic Federation , and Industrial Defense Association and the Allied Patriotic Societies. ACLU leadership was divided on how to challenge civil rights violations. One faction, including Baldwin, Arthur Garfield Hays , and Norman Thomas , believed that direct, militant action was the best path. Another group, including Walter Nelles and Walter Pollak , felt that lawsuits taken to
6468-595: The Communist Party USA , leading it to be the primary client of the ACLU. At the same time, the Communists were very aggressive in their tactics, often engaging in illegal conduct such as denying their party membership under oath. This led to frequent conflicts between the Communists and ACLU. Communist leaders sometimes attacked the ACLU, particularly when the ACLU defended the free speech rights of conservatives, whereas Communists tried to disrupt speeches by critics of
6615-566: The Due Process Clause in the Fourteenth Amendment . In a unanimous decision, the court held that the act was unconstitutional and that parents, not the state, had the authority to educate children as they thought best. It upheld the religious freedom of parents to educate their children in religious schools. Leaders of the ACLU were divided on the best tactics to use to promote civil liberties. Felix Frankfurter felt that legislation
6762-492: The Garland Fund . Lucille Bernheimer Milner was cofounder of the American Civil Liberties Union. She also served for a time as Executive Secretary. During the 1920s, the ACLU's primary focus was on freedom of speech in general and speech within the labor movement particularly. Because most of the ACLU's efforts were associated with the labor movement, the ACLU itself came under heavy attack from conservative groups, such as
6909-626: The Milwaukee Bucks and Milwaukee Brewers , and the world's largest music festival, Summerfest . Portions of what is now Milwaukee County are known to have been inhabited by a number of Native American tribes, including the Sauk , Meskwaki or "Fox", Menomonee , Ojibwe and Potawotami , with elements of other tribes attested as well. In 1818, when the land later to be Wisconsin was made part of Michigan Territory , territorial governor Lewis Cass created Brown County , which at that time included all
7056-584: The National Labor Relations Act in 1935, which empowered workers to unionize. Ironically, after 15 years of fighting for workers' rights, the ACLU initially opposed the act (it later took no stand on the legislation) because some ACLU leaders feared the increased power the bill gave to the government. The newly formed National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) posed a dilemma for the ACLU because, in 1937, it issued an order to Henry Ford , prohibiting Ford from disseminating anti-union literature. Part of
7203-473: The National Organization for Women . The ACLU has been criticized by liberals such as when it excluded communists from its leadership ranks, when it defended Neo-Nazis , when it declined to defend Paul Robeson , or when it opposed the passage of the National Labor Relations Act . In 2014, an ACLU affiliate supported anti-Islam protesters, and in 2018 the ACLU was criticized when it supported
7350-600: The New Deal to combat the depression. ACLU leaders were of mixed opinions about the New Deal since many felt that it represented an increase in government intervention into personal affairs and because the National Recovery Administration suspended antitrust legislation. The economic policies of the New Deal leaders were often aligned with ACLU goals, but social goals were not. In particular, movies were subject to
7497-575: The Senate Judiciary Committee of "outright hostility" toward police, referred to Al Sharpton as a "charlatan" and criticized Beyoncé for her reference to the Black Panthers in her halftime-show performance at the 2016 Super Bowl . In January 2013, Clarke was featured on a series of public radio ads that said citizens could no longer rely on the police for timely protection and should arm themselves. Later that month, Clarke appeared on
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#17333174162417644-520: The Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida ; Clarke tweeted that "The well ORGANIZED effort by Florida school students demanding gun control has GEORGE SOROS' FINGERPRINTS all over it", suggesting that the students from Parkland were being manipulated by Soros to organize for gun control. Clarke has called for the suspension of habeas corpus in the United States in
7791-453: The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to prosecute Clarke for federal civil-rights offenses, writing: "Our decision is not meant to affirm the wisdom or propriety of what occurred. It reflects only our belief that it would be difficult or impossible to prove a violation of the only federal statute available to us ... beyond a reasonable doubt." Milwaukee County auditors launched an investigation into whether Clarke abused taxpayer resources during
7938-677: The Wisconsin Department of Corrections as well as by the Federal Bureau of Prisons . In 2014, a woman who was handcuffed and shackled for 21 hours while in labor sued the county. In 2017, a second lawsuit was filed by another woman who was shackled while giving birth, and while hospitalized for prenatal care and postpartum treatment. The suit contends that the jail has a blanket policy of shackling all hospitalized inmates, "regardless of their criminal or medical history", and that at least 40 women were shackled in this manner. In June 2017,
8085-520: The disfranchisement of African Americans in the South that had taken place since the turn of the century. During the first decades of the ACLU, Baldwin continued as its leader. His charisma and energy attracted many supporters to the ACLU board and leadership ranks. The ACLU was directed by an executive committee and was not particularly democratic or egalitarian. New Yorkers dominated the ACLU's headquarters. Most ACLU funding came from philanthropies, such as
8232-615: The "Sheriff of the Year Award" from the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association , a group of sheriffs founded by Mack that has been criticized by the Southern Poverty Law Center for espousing radical-right views. Earlier the same year, Clarke appeared for an interview on the syndicated show of Alex Jones . Clarke has often clashed with the county government over the sheriff's office budget, engaging "in
8379-526: The "appointment is a disgrace". On June 17, Clarke rescinded his acceptance of the post. John F. Kelly , who had been the Secretary of Homeland Security at the time, told Clarke that he would not be given a position at the DHS in part due to scandal surrounding the treatment of inmates in Clarke's jail and the ensuing negative media attention. Clarke "has become a fixture of conservative media" and in 2015 began hosting
8526-402: The 501(c)(3) foundation are tax deductible, and only the 501(c)(4) group can engage in unlimited political lobbying . The ACLU is led by a president and an executive director, Deborah Archer and Anthony D. Romero , respectively, as of March 2024. The president acts as chair of the ACLU's board of directors, leads fundraising, and facilitates policy-setting. The executive director manages
8673-570: The ACLU Foundation, on average, has accounted for roughly 70% of the combined budget, and the ACLU roughly 30%. The ACLU solicits donations to its charitable foundation. The local affiliates solicit their own funding; however, some also receive funds from the national ACLU, with the distribution and amount of such assistance varying from state to state. At its discretion, the national organization provides subsidies to smaller affiliates that lack sufficient resources to be self-sustaining; for example,
8820-509: The ACLU and its state affiliates sometimes share in monetary judgments against government agencies. In 2006, the Public Expressions of Religion Protection Act sought to prevent monetary judgments in the particular case of violations of church-state separation. The ACLU has received court-awarded fees from opponents; for example, the Georgia affiliate was awarded $ 150,000 in fees after suing
8967-482: The ACLU by a major US newspaper. The ACLU continued to fight for the separation of church and state in schoolrooms, decade after decade, including the 1982 case McLean v. Arkansas and the 2005 case Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District . Baldwin was involved in a significant free speech victory of the 1920s after he was arrested for attempting to speak at a rally of striking mill workers in New Jersey. Although
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#17333174162419114-460: The ACLU from Communism; opposing them were Harry F. Ward, Corliss Lamont , and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn , who rejected any political test for ACLU leadership. A bitter struggle ensued throughout 1939, and the anti-Communists prevailed in February 1940 when the board voted to prohibit anyone who supported totalitarianism from ACLU leadership roles. Ward immediately resigned, and – following
9261-488: The ACLU leadership habitually took the side of labor, and that faction supported the NLRB's action. But part of the ACLU supported Ford's right to free speech. ACLU leader Arthur Garfield Hays proposed a compromise (supporting the auto workers union, yet also endorsing Ford's right to express personal opinions), but the schism highlighted a deeper divide that would become more prominent in the years to come. The ACLU's support of
9408-410: The ACLU leadership have sometimes grown into major debates. In 1937, an internal debate erupted over whether to defend Henry Ford 's right to distribute anti-union literature. In 1939, a heated debate took place over whether to prohibit communists from serving in ACLU leadership roles. During the early 1950s and Cold War McCarthyism , the board was divided on whether to defend communists. In 1968,
9555-504: The ACLU lobbied for the passage of the Indian Reorganization Act , which restored some autonomy to Native American tribes, and established penalties for kidnapping Native American children. Although the ACLU deferred to the NAACP for litigation promoting civil liberties for African Americans, the ACLU engaged in educational efforts and published Black Justice in 1931, a report which documented institutional racism throughout
9702-754: The ACLU represents an individual or organization that promotes offensive or unpopular viewpoints, such as the Ku Klux Klan , neo-Nazis, the Nation of Islam , the North American Man/Boy Love Association , the Westboro Baptist Church or the Unite the Right rally . The ACLU's official policy is "... [we have] represented or defended individuals engaged in some truly offensive speech. We have defended
9849-509: The ACLU to broaden their freedom of speech efforts beyond labor and political speech to encompass movies, press, radio, and literature. The ACLU formed the National Committee on Freedom from Censorship in 1931 to coordinate this effort. By the early 1930s, censorship in the United States was diminishing. Two major victories in the 1930s cemented the ACLU's campaign to promote free speech. In Stromberg v. California , decided in 1931,
9996-654: The ACLU was founded – it had achieved significant success; the Supreme Court had embraced the free speech principles espoused by the ACLU, and the general public was becoming more supportive of civil rights in general. But the Great Depression brought new assaults on civil liberties; the year 1930 saw a large increase in the number of free speech prosecutions, a doubling of the number of lynchings, and all meetings of unemployed persons were banned in Philadelphia. The Franklin D. Roosevelt administration proposed
10143-449: The ACLU was mentioned several times, leading the HUAC to mention the ACLU prominently in its 1939 report. This damaged the ACLU's reputation severely, even though the report said that it could not "definitely state whether or not" the ACLU was a Communist organization. While the ACLU rushed to defend its image against allegations of being a Communist front, it also protected witnesses harassed by
10290-670: The ACLU were hostile towards Nazism and fascism and objected when the ACLU defended Nazis. The ACLU defended numerous pro-Nazi groups, defending their rights to free speech and free association. In the late 1930s, the ACLU allied itself with the Popular Front , a coalition of liberal organizations coordinated by the United States Communist Party . The ACLU benefited because affiliates from the Popular Front could often fight local civil rights battles much more effectively than
10437-425: The ACLU, focusing on police brutality, Native American rights, African American rights, censorship in the arts, and international civil liberties. The board of directors approved Baldwin's expansion plan, except for the international efforts. The ACLU played a significant role in passing the 1932 Norris–La Guardia Act , a federal law that prohibited employers from preventing employees from joining unions and stopped
10584-611: The ACLU. The ACLU receives thousands of grants from hundreds of charitable foundations annually. Allies of the ACLU in legal actions have included the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , the American Jewish Congress , People for the American Way , the National Rifle Association of America , the Electronic Frontier Foundation , Americans United for Separation of Church and State and
10731-490: The Audit Services Division of the Milwaukee County controller's office determined as part of its own investigation that Clarke had 'used his official position as sheriff of Milwaukee County in excess of his lawful authority to direct his deputies to stop and question Black without legal justification.'" In a January 2017 poll conducted by Public Policy Polling , which surveyed Milwaukee County voters, 31% approved of
10878-448: The Bible should be interpreted literally in teaching creationism in school. The ACLU lost the case, and Scopes was fined $ 100. The Tennessee Supreme Court later upheld the law. Still, it overturned the conviction on a technicality. The Scopes trial was a phenomenal public relations success for the ACLU. The ACLU became well known across America, and the case led to the first endorsement of
11025-502: The CLB was on freedom of speech , primarily anti-war speech, and on supporting conscientious objectors who did not want to serve in World War I. In 1918, Crystal Eastman resigned from the organization due to health issues. After assuming sole leadership of the CLB, Baldwin insisted that the organization be reorganized. He wanted to change its focus from litigation to direct action and public education. The CLB directors concurred, and on January 19, 1920, they formed an organization under
11172-481: The CNN program Piers Morgan Live , with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett , who "said it was irresponsible of Clarke to 'basically imply' that it won't help citizens to call 911 when they need help". In 2015, Clarke traveled to Moscow on a $ 40,000 trip, with all expenses paid by the National Rifle Association of America , Pete Brownell (an NRA board member and CEO of a gun-parts supply company) and "The Right to Bear Arms",
11319-647: The Eastern District of Wisconsin . Clarke appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit , which upheld the lower court's ruling in 2009. The sheriff did not seek review in the U.S. Supreme Court. In February 2017, a Detroit-area man, Dan Black, filed a harassment lawsuit against Clarke after Milwaukee deputies detained the man at the Milwaukee airport in January. The man had asked Clarke about his football team preference and shook his head at Clarke. On
11466-578: The Fellowship of Christian Centurions, to speak at several mandatory employee meetings , at which the group members proselytized . Several deputies complained about the Centurions' proselytizing, but Clarke refused to stop the presentations. The sheriff deputies' union and two individual sheriff's deputies (a Catholic and a Muslim) successfully sued Clarke in the United States District Court for
11613-602: The HUAC. The ACLU was one of the few organizations to protest (unsuccessfully) against the passage of the Smith Act in 1940, which would later be used to imprison many persons who supported Communism. The ACLU defended many persons who were prosecuted under the Smith Act, including labor leader Harry Bridges . ACLU leadership was split on whether to purge its leadership of Communists. Norman Thomas , John Haynes Holmes , and Morris Ernst were anti-Communists who wanted to distance
11760-543: The House of Correction "dysfunctional" and determining that it suffered from "serious security, staff morale and management flaws". The House of Corrections was at the time a separate Milwaukee County department overseen by a superintendent who reported to then Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker . Walker and the County Board transferred control over the House to the Sheriff's Department under Clarke on January 1, 2009. Clarke
11907-434: The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office used asset forfeiture funds to buy exercise equipment for Clarke's command staff, for a Disney training, and for a mounted patrol unit. The audit reported that the spending violated county procurement rules, although not federal rules on the use of seized money. Clarke was criticized for the amount of money spent on the mounted patrol by County Supervisor Patricia Jursik; Clarke defended
12054-466: The NLRB was a significant development for the ACLU because it marked the first time it accepted that a government agency could be responsible for upholding civil liberties. Until 1937, the ACLU felt that citizens and private organizations best upheld civil rights. Some factions in the ACLU proposed new directions for the organization. In the late 1930s, some local affiliates proposed shifting their emphasis from civil liberties appellate actions to becoming
12201-511: The NPS. Following the report, the NPS removed the thesis from its online archive. In response to the report, Clarke called journalist Andrew Kaczynski , who broke the story, a "sleaze bag" and denied that he had plagiarized. In a July 2017 letter to Clarke, NPS dean of students , Commander Paul Rasmussen, wrote that he concurred with the Honor Code Board that Clarke's thesis was "in violation" of
12348-542: The NRA. Conversely, it has been criticized by conservatives such as when it argued against official prayer in public schools or when it opposed the Patriot Act . The ACLU has supported conservative figures such as Rush Limbaugh , George Wallace , Henry Ford and Oliver North as well as liberal figures such as Dick Gregory , Rockwell Kent and Benjamin Spock . Major sources of criticism are legal cases in which
12495-645: The New York-based ACLU. The association with the Communist Party led to accusations that the ACLU was a "Communist front", particularly because Harry F. Ward was both chairman of the ACLU and chairman of the American League Against War and Fascism , a Communist organization. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was created in 1938 to uncover sedition and treason within the United States. When witnesses testified at its hearings,
12642-544: The South, including lack of voting rights, segregation, and discrimination in the justice system. Funded by the Garland Fund , the ACLU also participated in producing the influential Margold Report , which outlined a strategy to fight for civil rights for blacks. The ACLU planned to demonstrate that the " separate but equal " policies governing the Southern discrimination were illegal because blacks were never, in fact, treated equally. In 1932 – twelve years after
12789-471: The Supreme Court sided with the ACLU and affirmed the right of a communist party member to salute a communist flag. The result was the first time the Supreme Court used the Due Process Clause of the 14th amendment to subject states to the requirements of the First Amendment . In Near v. Minnesota , also decided in 1931, the Supreme Court ruled that states may not exercise prior restraint and prevent
12936-505: The Supreme Court were the best way to achieve change. In addition to labor, the ACLU also led efforts in non-labor arenas, for example, promoting free speech in public schools. The ACLU was banned from speaking in New York public schools in 1921. The ACLU, working with the NAACP , also supported racial discrimination cases. The ACLU defended free speech regardless of espoused opinions. For example,
13083-516: The Supreme court reversed itself. The rise of totalitarian regimes in Germany, Russia, and other countries that rejected freedom of speech and association greatly impacted the civil liberties movement in the US; anti-Communist sentiment rose, and civil liberties were curtailed. The ACLU leadership was divided over whether or not to defend pro- Nazi speech in the United States; pro-labor elements within
13230-662: The USSR. This uneasy relationship between the two groups continued for decades. Five years after the ACLU was formed, the organization had virtually no success to show for its efforts. That changed in 1925, when the ACLU persuaded John T. Scopes to defy Tennessee's anti- evolution law in The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes . Clarence Darrow , a member of the ACLU National Committee, headed Scopes' legal team. The prosecution, led by William Jennings Bryan , contended that
13377-423: The United States ; protecting housing and employment rights of veterans ; reforming sex offender registries and protecting housing and employment rights of convicted first-time offenders; supporting the rights of prisoners and opposing torture ; upholding the separation of church and state by opposing government preference for religion over non-religion or for particular faiths over others; and supporting
13524-637: The Wyoming ACLU chapter received such subsidies until April 2015, when, as part of a round of layoffs at the national ACLU, the Wyoming office was closed. In October 2004, the ACLU rejected $ 1.5 million from both the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation because the foundations had adopted language from the USA PATRIOT Act in their donation agreements, including a clause stipulating that none of
13671-429: The age of 18 living with them, 35.1% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.14. In the county, the age distribution was spread out, with 24.9% under
13818-429: The age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.13. In the county, the age distribution was spread out, with 26.4% under
13965-413: The age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , from 1980 to 2000, the residential pattern of Blacks versus Whites in Milwaukee County was the most segregated in
14112-402: The age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.6 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males. As of the 2000 census , there were 940,164 people, 377,729 households and 225,126 families resided in the county. The population density
14259-567: The airport incident. Clarke refused to cooperate with the investigation, and blocked auditors from interviewing Milwaukee County sheriff's deputies. Clarke's refusal to cooperate in the investigation prompted the Milwaukee County Board to authorize legal action against Clarke on the issue. An affidavit filed by the FBI in March 2017 (and made public in December 2017) indicated that "investigators for
14406-639: The appointment was actually offered to Clarke. Following a CNN report on plagiarism in his master's thesis, Clarke said that he was unsure if the Trump administration would hire him. The prospective appointment of Clarke was criticized by Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele ; former Homeland Security official Juliette Kayyem ; and California Senator Kamala Harris , who sits on the Senate Homeland Security Committee . Harris wrote that "Clarke's unconscionable record makes him unfit to serve" and that
14553-609: The budget and other matters, and came under scrutiny for deaths and alleged mistreatment of jail inmates. One man died of thirst in what a coroner ruled was a homicide, and pregnant women were handcuffed and shackled while undergoing labor. Clarke frequently appeared as a guest on Fox News through February 2018 and was a speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention . He resigned as sheriff in August 2017. A vocal supporter of President Donald Trump , Clarke garnered attention for controversial and sometimes inflammatory social-media posts, and
14700-452: The case. In 1999, Clarke received a B.A. in Management of Criminal Justice from Concordia University Wisconsin 's School of Adult and Continuing Education. In January 2002, Milwaukee County Sheriff Leverett F. Baldwin resigned midway through his term to take a pension payout. Clarke was one of ten applicants for the position, and Governor Scott McCallum appointed him on March 19, 2002. He
14847-513: The censorship of movies and to discourage the publication of birth control information. This conflict between the ACLU and the Catholic Church led to the resignation of the last Catholic priest from ACLU leadership in 1934; a Catholic priest would not be represented again until the 1970s. The first decision that marked the Supreme Court's major shift in policy —no longer applying strict constitutional limits to government programs, and taking
14994-418: The country. In 2017, there were 13,431 births, giving a general fertility rate of 63.8 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, which is slightly above the Wisconsin average of 60.1. Additionally, there were 2,347 reported induced abortions performed on women of Milwaukee County residence, with a rate of 11.1 abortions per 1000 women aged 15–44, which is above the Wisconsin average rate of 5.2. In 2010 statistics,
15141-422: The county (including Hispanics in the racial counts) was 52.0% White , 26.2% Black or African American , 4.9% Asian , 0.8% Native American , 6.8% from other races , and 9.3% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 16.3% Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the 2010 census , there were 947,735 people, 383,591 households, and 221,019 families residing in the county. The population density
15288-435: The county Department of Emergency Preparedness. Abele described the budget as a way to refocus the sheriff's office on "core, mandated services". Clarke issued a statement calling Abele a "vindictive little man" and saying that "Abele should be drug-tested. He has to be on heroin or hallucinating with that statement." Abele responded by saying that it was "unfortunate the sheriff, instead of engaging in thoughtful civil discourse,
15435-554: The county executive, and the county comptroller run in nonpartisan elections while other countywide officials, such as the district attorney and sheriff, run in partisan elections. Like most urban counties, Milwaukee County is a Democratic stronghold, having voted for the Democratic presidential nominee in every election since 1960, and in all but four since 1912. However, there have been some notable exceptions. Former County Sheriff David Clarke , while repeatedly nominated and elected as
15582-491: The county has the Town form of local government - see Administrative divisions of Wisconsin ). There are 19 municipalities in Milwaukee County, 10 incorporated as cities and 9 incorporated as villages. After the city of Milwaukee, the most populous in 2019 were West Allis (59,890), Wauwatosa (48,118), Greenfield (37,221), Oak Creek (36,325), and Franklin (35,811). The county is home to two major-league professional sports teams,
15729-458: The day-to-day operations of the organization. The board of directors consists of 80 persons, including representatives from each state affiliate and at-large delegates. The organization has its headquarters in 125 Broad Street , a 40-story skyscraper located in Lower Manhattan , New York City. The leadership of the ACLU does not always agree on policy decisions; differences of opinion within
15876-482: The decision was limited to the state of New Jersey, the appeals court's judgment in 1928 declared that constitutional guarantees of free speech must be given "liberal and comprehensive construction", and it marked a major turning point in the civil rights movement , signaling the shift of judicial opinion in favor of civil rights. The most important ACLU case of the 1920s was Gitlow v. New York , in which Benjamin Gitlow
16023-574: The department's 275 deputies with two of the popular guns and still have some left over". The order was criticized as excessive by critics, including county Supervisor John Weishan Jr. (who said there "was absolutely no reason to justify" the purchase) and the Milwaukee County Deputy Sheriffs Association president (who said that he would have preferred the sheriff's department to use funds to re-hire laid-off deputies rather than to replace weapons). Clarke declined to comment, but
16170-427: The distribution of sex education information based on the premise that it was obscene and led to promiscuous behavior. Mary Ware Dennett was fined $ 300 in 1928 for distributing a pamphlet containing sex education material. The ACLU, led by Morris Ernst, appealed her conviction and won a reversal, in which judge Learned Hand ruled that the pamphlet's primary purpose was to "promote understanding". The success prompted
16317-455: The hate groups it monitors. Clarke has blamed "liberal policies" for rioting and other issues in American cities. Clarke's stance on the movement has been criticized by the Milwaukee chapter of the NAACP and other activists. Clarke has harshly criticized various black critics of police abuses. He has called former attorney general Eric Holder an "a[ss]hole" and accused him in testimony before
16464-578: The jail earlier that year public. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , Clarke also attracted attention for temper-related incidents: "He once berated a 911 dispatcher for not being professional, threatened to arrest the new House of Correction chief and called a sergeant a 'terrorist' and 'cancer' in a two-hour, expletive-filled rant". The Milwaukee County Jail turned the water off to inmate Terrill Thomas's cell, resulting in his death by dehydration on April 24, 2016. According to inmates,
16611-486: The job Clarke was doing, compared to 62% who disapproved. In the same poll, 65% said they believed Clarke had a negative impact on the image of Milwaukee County, and among registered Democrats, 13% said they would vote for Clarke in a hypothetical Democratic primary, compared to 82% who would prefer another candidate. Clarke is a strong supporter of Republican Donald Trump , saying during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign that he would "do everything I can" to help Trump win
16758-567: The land now part of Milwaukee County. It remained a part of Brown county until 1834, when Milwaukee County was created, including the area south of the line between townships eleven and twelve north (i.e., the northern boundary of Washington and Ozaukee counties), west of Lake Michigan, north of Illinois , and east of the line which now separates Green and Rock counties. This territory encompassed all of what are now Milwaukee, Jefferson , Kenosha , Ozaukee, Racine , Rock , Walworth , Washington, and Waukesha counties, as well as large parts of
16905-517: The landmark case United States v. One Book Called Ulysses in 1933, which reversed a ban by the Customs Department against the book Ulysses by James Joyce . The ACLU only achieved mixed results in the early years, and it was not until 1966 that the Supreme Court finally clarified the obscenity laws in the Roth v. United States and Memoirs v. Massachusetts cases. The Comstock laws banned
17052-747: The largest religious group in Milwaukee County was the Archdiocese of Milwaukee , with 199,153 Catholics worshipping at 80 parishes, followed by 32,340 non-denominational adherents with 126 congregations, 28,274 Missouri Synod Lutherans with 44 congregations, 23,043 ELCA Lutherans with 50 congregations, 20,416 Wisconsin Synod Lutherans with 45 congregations, 18,127 NBC Baptists with 27 congregations, 12,191 CoGiC Pentecostals with 28 congregations, 12,121 SBC Baptists with 32 congregations, 10,960 AoG Pentecostals with 20 congregations, and an estimated 9,156 Muslims with 8 congregations. Altogether, 46.4% of
17199-439: The legality of gender-affirming treatments, including those that are government funded, for trans youth. Legally, the ACLU consists of two separate but closely affiliated nonprofit organizations, namely the American Civil Liberties Union, a 501(c)(4) social welfare group; and the ACLU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity . Both organizations engage in civil rights litigation, advocacy, and education, but only donations to
17346-406: The money would go to "underwriting terrorism or other unacceptable activities". The ACLU views this clause, both in federal law and in the donors' agreements, as a threat to civil liberties, saying it is overly broad and ambiguous. Due to the nature of its legal work, the ACLU is often involved in litigation against governmental bodies, which are generally protected from adverse monetary judgments;
17493-449: The movement as a hate group . Clarke denies that police officers are more willing to shoot black suspects than white suspects, has labeled BLM activists "subhuman creeps", and has called for the targeted eradication of the movement "from American society". He has also claimed that Black Lives Matter would eventually join forces with ISIS in order to destroy American society. He has urged the Southern Poverty Law Center to include BLM among
17640-543: The office's use of the funds. According to an Associated Press tally, from 2012 to April 2016, Clarke had incurred more than $ 310,000 in legal fees for his private attorney, who represented him in litigation against Milwaukee County. Milwaukee County taxpayers paid the legal fees. The county spent an additional $ 83,000 defending itself against Clarke's lawsuits. In 2012, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's office under Clarke spent $ 75,000 on an order of 565 new Glock handguns with "glow-in-the-dark" sights, "enough to outfit each of
17787-475: The people who were most culpable." In May 2019, Milwaukee County and the health care company Armor Correctional Health Services Inc. settled the lawsuit for $ 6.75 million, which is one of the largest settlements related to the death of an inmate in an American prison. Clarke's department came under fire for its use of restraints on pregnant women inmates. This controversial practice has been abolished or restricted by at least ten states and has been prohibited by
17934-426: The population was claimed as members by religious congregations, although members of historically African-American denominations were underrepresented due to incomplete information. In 2014, Milwaukee County had 483 religious organizations, the 48th most out of all 3,141 US counties. Milwaukee County is governed through an eighteen-member Board of Supervisors and by an elected county executive . County supervisors,
18081-460: The practice of outlawing strikes, marriages, and labor organizing activities with the use of injunctions. The ACLU also played a key role in initiating a nationwide effort to reduce misconduct (such as extracting false confessions) within police departments by publishing the report Lawlessness in Law Enforcement in 1931, under the auspices of Herbert Hoover 's Wickersham Commission . In 1934,
18228-526: The present-day Columbia , Dane and Dodge counties. Milwaukee County remained attached to Brown County for judicial purposes until August 25, 1835, when an act was passed by the Michigan territorial legislature giving it an independent organization. In 1836, the legislature divided the area south and east of the Wisconsin and Fox rivers into counties, as a consequence reducing Milwaukee County's extent to what
18375-459: The presidency. Clarke spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio . In October 2016, Clarke tweeted, "It's incredible that our institutions of gov, WH, Congress, DOJ, and big media are corrupt & all we do is bitch. Pitchforks and torches time." with an attached photo of an angry mob holding pitchforks and torches. Clarke met with Trump, when Trump was president-elect, about
18522-457: The reactionary, anti-Catholic, anti-black Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was a frequent target of ACLU efforts, but the ACLU defended the KKK's right to hold meetings in 1923. There were some civil rights that the ACLU did not make an effort to defend in the 1920s, including censorship of the arts, government search and seizure issues, right to privacy , or wiretapping . Government officials routinely hounded
18669-471: The school's honor code but that the "violation was not a result of any intentional deception or misappropriation efforts". Rasmussen instructed Clarke to submit a revised thesis within 100 days or NPS would "initiate degree revocation". Clarke received several extensions on the original deadline before submitting his revised thesis in March 2018; NPS officials informed Clarke that his edits were satisfactory, and allowed him to retain his degree. Clarke has "built
18816-517: The sheriff" who questioned him before releasing him. Airport surveillance video showed Black telling deputies: "He [Clarke] thinks because I asked who he is, he can exert that kind of power over me." Local media reported that "at least one of the deputies who was ordered to confront Black didn't believe he had been disruptive". After Black filed a complaint with the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, Clarke responded by taunting and threatening Black via Facebook. Black's counsel states that Clarke engaged in
18963-513: The sheriff's post by McCallum, Clarke declared himself as Democrat, but refused to join the Wisconsin Democratic Party , instead promoting conservative views, and allying himself with Republican officials. Clarke ran for sheriff as a Democrat, which is advantageous in heavily Democratic Milwaukee County. However, Clarke is almost universally regarded as a staunch right-wing conservative. Clarke frequently criticizes Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and other Democrats; often speaks at Republican events, and
19110-638: The speech rights of communists, Nazis, Ku Klux Klan members, accused terrorists, pornographers, anti-LGBT activists, and flag burners. That's because the defense of freedom of speech is most necessary when the message is one most people find repulsive. Constitutional rights must apply to even the most unpopular groups if they're going to be preserved for everyone." The ACLU developed from the National Civil Liberties Bureau (CLB), co-founded in 1917 during World War I by Crystal Eastman , an attorney activist, and Roger Nash Baldwin . The focus of
19257-495: The tarmac, Clarke sent text messages to one of his captains, Mark Witek, directing sheriffs' deputies to detain Black. Clarke wrote: "Question for him is why he said anything to me. Why didn't he just keep his mouth shut? Follow him to baggage and out the door. You can escort me to carousel after I point him out." After arriving at the airport, Black was "met by a group of six uniformed deputies and two dogs, all of whom were accompanied by
19404-457: The teens, drew his service revolver and ordered them to lie on the ground. He admitted to using his foot to turn one boy over as he searched for weapons. The boy's mother claimed Clarke put a gun to her son's head and kicked him in the side, causing bruised ribs that required medical attention. However, the Fire and Police Commission ruled there was insufficient evidence to charge Clarke and dismissed
19551-556: The varsity basketball team. After finishing high school, Clarke took classes at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee but dropped out during his first year when he got a job driving beer trucks. His career in law enforcement began in 1978 at the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD). He "rose through the ranks at a slow but steady pace in his 24 years with the department". Clarke was a patrol officer for eleven years and then
19698-666: The water was turned off for six days and the staff refused to provide water to Thomas. On September 15, 2016, the Milwaukee medical examiner ruled Thomas's death a homicide. Later that day Clarke's office sent out a press release which stated it would be "withholding employee internal investigations and will not be commenting on this matter until the completion of all investigative and review processes, and any resultant civil litigation". Clarke did not comment publicly on his agency's handling of Thomas's incarceration, but has highlighted Thomas's poor physical health and criminal history. In May 2017, after hearing six days of testimony at an inquest,
19845-399: The year ending March 31, 2014, the ACLU and the ACLU Foundation had a combined income from support and revenue of $ 100.4 million, originating from grants (50.0%), membership donations (25.4%), donated legal services (7.6%), bequests (16.2%), and revenue (0.9%). Membership dues are treated as donations; members choose the amount they pay annually, averaging approximately $ 50 per member. In
19992-399: The year ending March 31, 2014, the combined expenses of the ACLU and ACLU Foundation were $ 133.4 million, spent on programs (86.2%), management (7.4%), and fundraising (8.2%). (After factoring in other changes in net assets of +$ 30.9 million, from sources such as investment income, the organization had an overall decrease in net assets of $ 2.1 million.) Over the period from 2011 to 2014,
20139-572: Was 3,931 people per square mile (1,518 people/km ). There were 400,093 housing units at an average density of 1,656 units per square mile (639 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 65.6% White , 24.6% Black or African American , 0.7% Native American , 2.6% Asian , 0.04% Pacific Islander , 4.2% from other races , and 2.2% from two or more races. 8.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 25.0% were of German , 10.9% Polish and 5.3% Irish ancestry. There were 377,729 households, of which 29.5% had children under
20286-508: Was 3,932 people per square mile (1,518 people/km ). There were 418,053 housing units at an average density of 1,734 units per square mile (670 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 60.6% White , 26.8% Black or African American , 0.7% Native American , 3.4% Asian , 0.003% Pacific Islander , 5.4% from other races , and 3.0% from two or more races. 13.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 383,591 households, of which 28.0% had children under
20433-431: Was a growing willingness to protect freedom of speech and assembly via court decisions. Starting in 1926, the ACLU expanded its free speech activities to encompass censorship of art and literature. In that year, H. L. Mencken deliberately broke Boston law by distributing copies of his banned American Mercury magazine; the ACLU defended him and won an acquittal. The ACLU went on to win additional victories, including
20580-661: Was arrested for violating a state law against inciting anarchy and violence when he distributed literature promoting communism. Although the Supreme Court did not overturn Gitlow's conviction, it adopted the ACLU's stance (later termed the incorporation doctrine ) that the First Amendment freedom of speech applied to state laws, as well as federal laws. The Oregon Compulsory Education Act required almost all children in Oregon between eight and sixteen years of age to attend public school by 1926. Associate Director Roger Nash Baldwin ,
20727-494: Was considered for a role in the Trump administration. After resigning as sheriff, Clarke joined the pro-Trump super PAC America First Action as a spokesman and senior advisor; he left the group in 2019. Clarke was born in Milwaukee, one of five children of Jeri and David Clarke Sr. His father was a paratrooper with the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company . His uncle was NFL player Frank Clarke , whom he idolized. Clarke Jr. attended Marquette University High School where he played for
20874-547: Was created in 1834 as part of Michigan Territory and organized the following year. Milwaukee County is the most populous county of the Milwaukee- Waukesha - West Allis , WI Metropolitan Statistical Area , as well as of the Milwaukee- Racine -Waukesha, WI Combined Statistical Area (See Milwaukee metropolitan area ). Uniquely among Wisconsin counties, Milwaukee County is completely incorporated (i.e.: no part of
21021-560: Was elected to a full term later in 2002, and was reelected in 2006, 2010, and 2014. In 2013, Clarke received a master's degree in security studies from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). In May 2017, CNN reported that Clarke had plagiarized portions of the thesis he completed as part of the requirements for this degree, stating that in the thesis, "Clarke failed to properly attribute his sources at least 47 times." The thesis ("Making U.S. security and privacy rights compatible")
21168-472: Was found to have lifted material verbatim from several sources without proper citation, including reports by the American Civil Liberties Union , the 9/11 Commission Report , and George W. Bush's memoir Decision Points . Clarke provided footnotes to sources that he used, but did not properly place quotations around verbatim words of his sources, which is an act of plagiarism according to
21315-497: Was repeatedly accused of abusing detainees at the county jail. Following the deaths of four inmates at the jail in six months, the United States Department of Justice launched an investigation of the jail. Milwaukee County chief medical examiner Brian Peterson accused Clarke of verbally harassing and threatening him in an October 2016 telephone conversation after Peterson's office made the mysterious deaths of two inmates at
21462-615: Was the Jehovah's Witnesses , who were involved in a large number of Supreme Court cases . The most important cases involved statutes requiring flag salutes. The Jehovah's Witnesses felt that saluting a flag was contrary to their religious beliefs. Two children were convicted in 1938 of not saluting the flag. The ACLU supported their appeal to the Supreme Court, but the court affirmed the conviction in 1940. But three years later, in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette ,
21609-448: Was the best long-term solution because the Supreme Court could not mandate liberal interpretations of the Bill of Rights. But Walter Pollak , Morris Ernst , and other leaders felt that Supreme Court decisions were the best path to guarantee civil liberties. A series of Supreme Court decisions in the 1920s foretold a changing national atmosphere; anti-radical emotions were diminishing, and there
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