Since it’s founding in 1920, the ACLU has held steadfast to the singularly important goal of holding America and American lawmakers accountable to the values set forth in our US Constitution. 
Featured News Article
Slate: Recording Police Making Arrests & the Outrageous Law that Makes it a Felony
Date: 02/02/12Slate‘s Dahlia Lithwick posted an article about the Illinois Eavesdropping Act, which prohibits citizens from recording public officials, including police, performing their public duties in a public place. The ACLU of Illinois has been challenging the application of this law in the case of ACLU v. Alvarez as well as advocating for the passage of
New York Times: Psychiatric Patients With No Place to Go but Jail
Date: Monday, February 20, 2012The Chicago News Cooperative, reporting for the New York Times, wrote an article about the city of Chicago’s decision to close down 6 of its 12 mental health facilities this spring, which will result in an increase in the number of people with mental illness being charged with crimes and sent to prison. This decision
Chicago Tribune: Harvey Grossman’s Letter to the Editor
Date: Friday, February 17, 2012From the Chicago Tribune’s “Voice of the People” section on February 17, 2012. Spirit of openness It is ironic that Mayor Rahm Emanuel relies on his experience in the White House under Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama to justify his decision to withhold large numbers of records about the city’s new speed cameras (“Mayor
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Abortion shares agenda with livestock in Illinois committee
Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2012The St. Louis Post-Dispatch ran a story about the bill that would force facilities that provide abortions –even non-surgical– to build the functional equivalent of a small hospital, which is being sent through the Agriculture Committee. Last year, a similar bill passed through the Agriculture Committee and onto the House floor, where it was defeated.
Press Release: Women (still) are not livestock
Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2012Chicago – In an effort to deny women in Illinois access to safe and effective medical care, leaders of the movement to bar access to reproductive health care, including contraceptives, are introducing a bill on women’s health care through the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee. The measure, House Bill 4117 sponsored by Representative Thomas Morrison,
Chicago Tribune: Colleen Connell’s Letter to the Editor
Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2012From the Chicago Tribune’s “Voice of the People” section on February 12, 2012. Tribune columnist Steve Chapman’s “Inoculating against religious freedom” (Commentary, Feb. 2) adopts a misguided definition of religious liberty with dangerous consequences. Recognizing the importance of birth control to women’s lives and health, the Obama administration recently issued regulations that require new insurance
