Press Releases.

6/17/2008: Law Reject Moore FOAA Appeal

6/03/2008: MCLU Applauds Portland Council Vote on Closing Guantanamo

6/02/2008: Guantanamo Cell Replica Will Visit Portland

5/26/2008: MCLU to Appeal Verdict in Excessive Force Case

5/19/2008: NAACP Organizes Voter Registration Drive at Maine State Prison

5/15/2008: MCLU Praises Groundbreaking California Decision on Marriage Equality

05/09/2008: MCLU Praises Landmark PUC Ruling on Phone Privacy

4/17/2008: MCLU Disappointed in Legal Status Compromise- Applauds Resounding Rejection of Real ID

4/14/2008: MCLU Celebrates 40th Anniversary

04/07/2008: Civil Rights Leaders Speak Out On Immigration At Augusta Press Conference

04/05/2008: Passport Security Concerns Raise New Concerns about DHS Demands

4/02/2008: MCLU Seeks Public Records on Real ID Waiver

04/02/2008: DHS/Baldacci Deal Threatens Mainers Privacy

3/31/2008: MCLU Blasts DHS Blackmail of Maine

3/20/2008: MCLU Welcomes New Board President

3/14/2008: MCLU Applauds Representatives Allen and Michaud for Rejecting Telecom Immunity

3/13/2008: Senator's Letter Shows Leadership in Rejecting Arbitrary Real ID Deadline

2/29/2008: MCLU Blasts Susan Collins for Pandering to the Bush Administration and Selling Mainers' Privacy Down the River

2/19/2008: Court Won't Review ACLU's Challenge to Surveillance Program

2/12/2008: MCLU Denounces Senate Vote to Expand Warrantless Surveillance

2/6/2008: Budget Cuts Target Elderly and Disabled Refugees

2/01/2008: MCLU applauds the Public Utilities Commission’s Order on Verizon/Fairpoint sale.

1/30/2008: MCLU Salutes Peard on Winning Gassman Award

1/22/2008: M108 Maine Lawyers Urge Senators to Stop Telecom Imunity

1/15/2008: MCLU Welcomes Two New Staffers

1/11/2008: MCLU Blasts REAL ID Regulations.

1/11/2008: Mainers Call on Collins and Snowe to Close Guantanamo

12/26/2007: MCLU Honors Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, Senator Elizabeth Mitchell, and Representative Scott Lansley

12/17/2007: Senate Telecom Immunity Bill Threatens Maine Privacy Complaint

12/14/2007: MCLU Applauds First Circuit Decision Striking Down Portions of Unconstitutional Ordinance

11/05/2007: Maine Law Violates Candidates’ Right to Free Speech; MCLU Challenges Overbroad Statute in Law Court

11/02/2007: MCLU Urges PUC to Consider Privacy as Condition of Verizon/FairPoint Sale

11/01/2007: Portland City Councilor Jill Duson Unfairly Targeted By Attorney General’s Office; State Has No Business Regulating Campaign Speech  

10/17/2007: Commission Investigating Alleged Government Misconduct Should be Subject to FOAA; Public Has Right to See Documents Related to Dechaine Case

10/16/1007: Verizon Admits to Turning Over Customer Records; MCLU Outraged at Disregard for the Constitution

10/12/2007: MCLU Applauds Public Advocate Recommendations; Fairpoint acquisition should include safeguards for privacy case

09/28/2007: MCLU Claims Court Order Damages Freedom of Access Act; Public Entities Should Be Subject to Public Scrutiny

09/27/2007: MCLU and Winslow High School Reach Agreement on Student Privacy; No Student Strip Searches by School Officials

09/26/2007: Maine Authors Exercise their Freedom to Read

09/10/2007: MCLU Applauds Senator Snowe for Habeas Amendment Cloture Vote; Disappointed in Partisan Vote from Senator Collins

08/28/2007: MCLU Urges No Telecomm Immunity Without Further Investigation; Intelligence Director’s Comments Cast Doubt on DOJ Claims

08/24/2007: After More Than A Year, The Truth Comes Out: Phone Companies Violated Customer Privacy

08/21/2007: MCLU Urges Congress to Hold White House in Contempt, Force Compliance on NSA Subpoenas

08/05/2007: Maine Civil Liberties Union Decries Last-Minute Passage of Surveillance Expansion; Applauds Michaud and Allen for Votes to Protect Privacy

07/27/2007: MCLU Applauds Rejection of Real ID Funding Amendment; Rebukes Senator Collins; Applauds Senator Snowe

07/25/07: MCLU Disappointed Over Collins Support for Real ID; Senator Cosponsors Bill To Fund Privacy Nightmare

07/24/07: Federal Government Loses Round in Suit Against Maine PUC: Phone Company Investigations “Impose No Duty on Government”

07/06/07: MCLU Expresses Disappointment Over Court Dismissal of Lawsuit; Decision in ACLU v. NSA Could Harm Mainers’ Privacy Rights

06/12/2007: Maine Is First State in Nation to Pass Net Neutrality Resolve; Resolution Recognizes Importance of Nondiscriminatory Access to the Internet

05/31/2007: Committee Recognizes Importance of Internet Non-Discrimination; Groups Applaud Net Neutrality Resolution

05/16/2007: MCLU Files Suit Against South Portland Police;
Excessive Force Against Innocent Woman Violates Constitution

05/08/2007: Diverse Bipartisan Coalition Announces Support for Net Neutrality Legislation; Legislation Good for Creative Economy, Tech Industry, and Maine People

04/04/2007: Jeffrey Thaler to be awarded Sconik Award

03/20/2007: Maine Civil Liberties Union Foundation Attorney Zachary Heiden Appointed Legal Director

03/02/2007: Candidate’s Right to Exercise Political Speech Violated; MCLU Challenges Overbroad Statute in Cumberland Co. Superior Court

02/28/2007: MCLU: Senator Collins' Real ID Amendment is Not a Real Solution; Proposal Fails to Address Law's Fundamental Flaws

02/20/2007: Maine Civil Liberties Union Applauds Legislation to Repeal Real ID; Bill Addresses Concerns of Mainers

02/20/2007: MCLU Files Suit Over “Cruel and Unusual” Punishment; York County Jail Putting Lives of Inmates At Risk

02/16/2007: MCLU Disappointed Phone Privacy Case Heading To California; Vows to Continue Fight For Mainers’ Privacy Rights

02/14/2007: “The Way Life Should Be: Marriage in Maine”
Three Same-Sex Couples Tell Their Stories in New Video

02/08/2007: MCLU Disappointed Over Decision to Block PUC Hearing

02/07/2007: U.S. Continues Efforts to Block PUC from Questioning Verizon; District Court Will Hear Request For Preliminary Injunction

01/27/2007: Maine Becomes First State in Nation to Reject Real ID; Legislature Passes a Resolution Refusing to Implement the National ID Card

01/27/2007: MCLU to Feds: "Keep Maine case in Maine;"
Lawsuits Involving Public Utility Commissions Should Remain in States, Group Argues

01/16/2007: Rejecting a National ID Card: Keeping Real ID Out of Maine; Senate Majority Leader, Secretary of State Will Participate in Augusta Forum

01/12/2007: ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero to Speak at NAACP Breakfast; Romero is First Latino to Keynote this Event

01/05/2007: Santa and His Butt Can Come to Maine
State Decides to Accept Disputed Beer Labels

12/21/2006: MCLU Welcomes New Board Members

12/20/2006: MCLU Awards Roger Baldwin Award to James “Doug” Cowie; Portland Man Leads Fight to Protect Mainers’ Privacy Rights

11/30/2006: MCLU Challenges Maine Censorship of Artistic Beer Labels

11/28/2006: MCLU Applauds U.S. Supreme Court Decision Not to Accept Case Challenging Maine Law Protecting Religious Freedom

11/03/2006: Federal Appeals Court To Hear Arguments in Maine Free Speech Ruling; MCLU Urges Court to Reaffirm that “Right to March Lies at the Core of our Freedoms”

11/03/2006: What Good Are Rights If You Don’t Know You Have Them? Student Conference to Address Free Speech, Sex Ed and Equality

10/27/2006: MCLU to Court: Keep Maine Lawsuit in Maine; Group Opposes Transfer of Lawsuit To California

10/25/2006: FBI Spying on More Maine Peace Activists; MCLU Receives Response to FOIA

09/28/2006: Lawmakers Fail to Take Stand Against Torture; Bill Does Not Adequately Safeguard Human Rights

09/19/2006: MCLU Defends Mainers in Federal Privacy Lawsuit

08/24/2006: MCLU Applauds Congressional Letter to Attorney General; Allen and Michaud Stand Up for Mainers’ Privacy Rights

08/21/2006: DOJ Sues Maine PUC and Verizon;
MCLU Denounces Federal Abuse of Power

08/17/2006: MCLU Applauds Court Decision Striking Down NSA Spying Program; Maine PUC Should Follow Suit by Investigating Verizon

08/17/2006: Boston Federal Appeals Court Reviews Major Free Speech Ruling: MCLU Urges Court to Reaffirm that “Right to March Lies at the Core of our Freedoms”

08/07/2006: MCLU Disappointed by PUC Decision;
Commission Takes the Middle Road

08/03/2006: DOJ Threatens to sue Maine PUC; MCLU says Mainers deserve answers

07/20/2006: Candidate’s Right to Exercise Political Speech Violated; MCLU Claims Statute is Overbroad and Unfair

07/19/2006: Augusta City Council Violates People’s Right to Petition; Augusta Citizens Defend Petition Rights Before the Maine Supreme Court

06/30/2006: MCLU Renews Call for PUC Investigation of Verizon; Verizon Should Stop Stonewalling

06/26/2006: MCLU Disappointed that Snowe and Collins Voted Against Free Speech

06/14/2006: Maine Peace Groups Sue Pentagon Over Spy Files; Maine Civil Liberties Union Joins National Lawsuit to Uncover Details of Pentagon Surveillance of Law-Abiding Americans

06/12/2006: MCLU Demands an Investigation by the PUC;
Over 400 Mainers Join the Call for Action

06/07/2006: U.S. Court of Appeals To Hear Anti-Discrimination Case; MCLU Urges Court to Remedy Injustice

05/25/2006: Why the Separation of Religion and Government Is Important to All of Us- A Talk By Shenna Bellows

05/19/2006: Responding to Complaint Filed in Maine, Verizon Refuses to Deny Participation in the NSA Spying Program

05/12/2006: Mainers File Spying Complaint to PUC

04/26/2006: Maine High Court Upholds School Tuition Program; MCLU Applauds Decision Protecting Government-Free Religion

03/27/2006: Diverse Group of Maine Organizations Urges Comprehensive Immigration Reform; Over 50 Religious Leaders Sign Letter to Maine’s Senators

03/16/2006: MCLU Urges Maine’s Legislators to Adopt Privacy Protection Measures; Two Proposals in Work Session Would Safeguard Personal Information

03/01/2006: Senate Neglects to Restore Checks and Balances to Patriot Act; MCLU Expresses Disappointment in Maine’s Senators

02/14/2006: Maine High Court Re-Hears Religious School Funding Case; MCLU Urges Court to Protect Government-Free Religion 

02/02/2006: Documents Indicate FBI Scrutiny of Maine Peace Group; MCLU Joins Nationwide ACLU Effort to Uncover Details of Pentagon Domestic Spying Program

01/25/2006: Many Students Choose Not to Share Contact Information with Military Recruiters; Schools Should Make It Easier to “Opt Out”

01/10/2006: MCLU Announces Opposition to Alito Nomination

12/22/2005: MCLU Hails Victory in Augusta Free-Speech Case; Court Rules Free Speech “Commands this Court’s Protection”

12/19/2005: MCLU Welcomes New and Returning Board Members

12/16/2005: MCLU Condemns Maine Senators for Weak Vote; PATRIOT Act Must Be Reformed to Protect Civil Liberties

12/13/2005: Coalition Urges Maine Senators to Support PATRIOT Act Filibuster; Reauthorization Would Severely Erode Civil Liberties

12/06/2005: MCLU Disappointed That Suspicionless Searches Are Upheld

11/29/2005: Maine Civil Liberties Union Warns that Law in Front of Supreme Court Puts Women’s Health and Safety at Risk

11/16/05: MCLU Urges Maine Lawmakers to Reject Patriot Act Reauthorization Package, Saying Bill Neglects Civil Liberties Concerns

11/16/05: Maine Senators Fall Short of Protecting Civil Liberties The Maine Civil Liberties Union Urges Senate to Reinstate Habeas Corpus

10/06/05: MCLU Delivers Patriot Act Reform Petition to Senators Snowe and Collins

09/20/05: Free Speech Now Free in Portland; MCLU Applauds City Council Elimination Of Tabling And Gathering Fees

09/09/05: Mainers defind Civil Rights Law; Anti-discrimination forum spans faith and party lines

08/09/05: Maine Civil Liberties Union Challenges FBI Stonewalling;FBI Surveillance Raises Questions of Government Integrity

07/13/05: Maine Groups Urge Congress to Reform, Not Expand, USA PATRIOT Act; Coalition Advocates Greater Respect For Constitutional Rights

06/29/05: MCLU Joins Maine Won’t Discriminate; Urges Defense of Maine’s Civil Rights Law

06/27/05: US Supreme Court Upholds Religious Liberty; MCLU Applauds Decision Striking Courthouse Ten Commandments Display

06/20/05: MCLU Investigates Potential Abuse of Highway Checkpoints; Mainers Should Be Free to Move About the State

06/01/05: Maine Civil Liberties Union Takes City of Augusta to Court Oral Arguments Held on Right to March and Demonstrate

05/18/05: Maine Civil Liberties Union Launches Investigation of FBI Spying; Files FOIA Requests to Uncover Spy Files

05/10/05:MCLU Joins Maine Choice Coalition In Pro-Choice Lobby Day; Pro-Choice Mainers Walk The Halls In Augusta

04/28/05: Portland Attorney Brenda M. Buchanan Honored for her Civil Rights Work; MCLU Names Buchanan for the 2005 Justice Louis Scolnik Honoree

04/27/05: Reinstating Death Penalty Wrong For Maine; Death Penalty Takes Maine’s Justice System Backwards

04/14/05: MCLU Urges State Legislature Not to Compromise Child Safety;Bill to Make Child-Protection Records Public Threatens Privacy

04/05/2005: Bipartisan Legislation Would Fix Worst of USA PATRIOT Act; U.S. Senate Responds to Citizen’s Call for Review

03/30/2005: MCLU Opposes Academic Censorship
LD 1194 Would Curtail Freedom In The Classroom

03/29/2005: MCLU Applauds Supreme Court Decision Protecting Whistleblowers Who Report Sex Discrimination

03/25/2005: MCLU Applauds Senate Review of Identity Theft; Recent Data-Theft Scandals Highlight Need for Better Oversight

03/24/2005: Maine High Court Hears Religious School Funding Case; MCLU Urges Court to Keep Government Out of Religion Business

03/23/2005: MCLU Supports Civil Rights Protection For The People of Maine; Sexual Orientation No Basis For Discrimination

03/18/2005: MCLU Opposes Anti-Immigrant Legislation;
LD 763 Would Make Us Less Safe and Less Free

02/24/2005: MCLU Victory For Artistic Expression Announced; City Of Portland Agrees To Eliminate Restrictions On Artists

01/25/2005: Shenna Bellows named as new Executive Director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union

01/05/2005: MCLU Defends Right To Anonymous Electronic Speech; Fitch v. Doe Goes to Law Court

December 10, 2004: Oral Histories of Same-Sex couples debuts in Brunswick "Our Neighbors, Our Selves" furthers understanding

November 19, 2004: Maine Civil Liberties Union presents its 2004 Annual Celebration and Roger Baldwin Awards on Wednesday, December 1st.

October 4, 2004: Maine Civil Liberties Union presents “It’s a Free Country: Know Your Rights,” a student civil liberties conference. Update 10/13: REGISTRATION FULL!

October 1, 2004: Maine Civil Liberties Union and WMPG-FM present "Know Your Rights, " a new radio series about civil liberties.

September 20, 2004: Town of Monson Eliminates Sectarian Prayer From Town Meetings At Urging of MCLU

August 9, 2004: Emerging “Surveillance-Industrial Complex” Is Turbo-Charging Government Monitoring, ACLU Warns in New Report

June 29, 2004: MCLU Rejoices in Victory For Free Speech; Supreme Court Strikes Down Content-Based Censorship

June 28, 2004: MCLU Applauds U.S. Supreme Court’s Hamdi and Rasul Rulings; Court Limits President’s Power in War on Terrorism

May 4, 2004: Maine Civil Liberties Union Honors Mary Bonauto at Annual Award Dinner; National ACLU Lesbian & Gay Rights Director to Speak

March 23, 2004: Maine Legislature Passes Pro-Civil Liberties Resolution; Becomes Fourth State in the U.S. to Protest USA PATRIOT Act

March 19, 2004: Maine Civil Liberties Union Wins In Augusta March Case; Federal Court Strikes Down Unconstitutional Insurance Requirement

March 15, 2004: As City Council Deliberates on Pro-Civil Liberties Resolution: MCLU Calls for Portland to be Safe and Free (attachment labeled Portland Press Release)

March 15, 2004: Maine Civil Liberties Union Commences Lawsuit Against The City of Augusta; Free Speech and Assembly Too Costly in State Capital

February 23, 2004: MCLU Hires First-Ever Staff Attorney; Mission to Promote and Protect Civil Liberties in Maine

February 13, 2007: Birth Control Votes

top