Liberty Counsel

Liberty Counsel describes itself as "a nonprofit litigation, education and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and the traditional family." It offers pro bono legal assistance in cases regarding those subjects. It was founded in 1989 and is affiliated with the Jerry Falwell-founded Liberty University School of Law, on the campus of which it maintains an office. Liberty Counsel is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Mathew D. Staver is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel.

Controversies
In December 2005, Liberty Counsel issued a press release accusing an elementary school in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, of changing the lyrics of Christmas songs to make them more "secular" and threatened to sue the school district "if the district does not immediately remedy the situation." In fact, the school was putting on the play "The Little Tree’s Christmas Gift," written by Dwight Elrich, a former church choir director. The Dodgeville school district attempted to seek a retraction and apology from Liberty Counsel, as well as reimbursement of $20,000 spent in personnel, security and attorney fees to fight the baseless accusation. Liberty Counsel's Staver refused, asserting, "There is nothing to apologize for or retract."

Contact Information
Liberty Counsel PO Box 540774 Orlando, FL 32854 Phone: 800-671-1776 Website: http://www.lc.org/

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Alliance Defense Fund
 * American Center for Law and Justice
 * Liberty Alliance Action
 * Religious Right
 * Matt Barber

External Articles

 * Liberty Counsel Archives, Right Wing Watch.
 * "Liberty Counsel president Mat Staver baselessly asserted Florida mayor was hostile to Christianity because he was Jewish," Media Matters for America, December 17, 2004.
 * "Christmas Calumny: School District Challenges Liberty Counsel’s Bogus ‘Christmas War’", Americans United, February 1, 2006.