COLUMBIA — The Free Times reports that the national body of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) voted to take over operational control of its South Carolina state affiliate.
According to The Free Times, the national board voted 74-4 on April 27 to take control of the state board of directors, an action known as “receivership,” after describing it as dysfunctional. It is the first time the organization has taken such action in its history.
“It’s the board,” Columbia activist Kevin Gray, a long-time state board member, told the paper. “The board has become ineffectual.”
“South Carolina as a state has a tremendous amount of civil liberties challenges, and our goal is to make sure there is a strong and viable affiliate to deal with those issues,” ACLU Vice President and Atlanta, Ga., resident Robert Remar told The New York Times.
The national ACLU board will now go about the process to reorganize the state board and solidify the organization’s presence in South Carolina.