Wyoming Liberty Group

Wyoming Liberty Group
Motto Founding Principles Guiding Innovative Solutions
Formation 2008
Type 501(c)(3) organization
Headquarters Cheyenne, Wyoming
Location
  • 1740 Dell Range Blvd., # 459
    Cheyenne, WY 82009
Coordinates 41°09′41″N 104°47′54″W / 41.1615°N 104.7984°W / 41.1615; -104.7984Coordinates: 41°09′41″N 104°47′54″W / 41.1615°N 104.7984°W / 41.1615; -104.7984
Region served
 Wyoming
Founder
 Susan Gore
Budget
 Revenue: $649,261
Expenses: $576,149
(FYE December 2013)[1]
Website wyliberty.org

The Wyoming Liberty Group is a free market think tank in Wyoming, USA.[2][3][4] The group’s stated aim is to ensure that the power of the people and individuals in Wyoming takes precedence over improper government presumptions of authority.

Overview

It was established in 2008 by Susan W. Gore.[3] Susan Gore set out to create an educational organization that would invite citizens to prepare for informed, active, and confident involvement in local and state government. The organization today counts about a dozen staffers; attorneys, economists, and other policy experts. Wyoming Liberty Group champions freedom in matters of free speech and association, health care choice, property rights, Second Amendment rights, government transparency, and parental control over children’s education. Ms. Gore patterned the organization’s structure and functionality on the pioneering high tech manufacturing culture of her family company, W. L. Gore & Associates.

The Wyoming Liberty Group lists eight fundamental rights that the organization wants to protect and champion: [3]

  1. Respect for individual dignity and sovereignty
  2. Appreciation of moral and religious freedom
  3. Respect for property rights
  4. Faith in independent voluntary associations
  5. Emphasis on government transparency
  6. Belief in limited government that serves the people
  7. Support of informed citizens who stand their ground
  8. Economic and political freedom are indivisible

Activity

In 2011, the Wyoming Liberty Group criticized the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, arguing that $400,000 had been spent for each job created.[5]

The Wyoming Liberty Group worked for four years to ensure passage of Health Care Freedom Amendment to the Wyoming Constitution, which was finally passed in 2011. The amendment passed Senate 23-7; House 49-11 and passed with 77% of the popular vote in November 2012. [6]

The organization has worked to protect the rights of private landowners and local governments from federal encroachment by reviving awareness of a portion of federal law referred to as “RS2477.” This work included documenting various eligible roads in Hot Springs county (June 2012) and drafting a bill (HB 182, 2013) which passed the Wyoming State House 59-0 but was not introduced to the State Senate before deadline. [7]

Wyoming Liberty Group legal counsel was co-counsel, drafting complaints, memoranda, and appellate briefs in Free Speech v. Federal Election Commission[8] The organization co-authored McComish v. Bennett amicus brief, challenging “matching funds” in public financing schemes. The United States Supreme Court overturned the scheme. [9] Staff attorneys for the Wyoming Liberty Group co-authored a friend-of-the-court brief in Delay v. Texas that proved crucial to overturning the 2010 conviction of Tom DeLay of money laundering and conspiracy. The brief argued that the legal theory used by prosecutors violated the First Amendment, exposing citizens like DeLay to criminal charges simply for engaging in politics. [10]

Wyoming Liberty Group has argued against government expansion and for private sector solutions, claiming the European welfare state is detrimental to freedom and individual development. [11] The organization holds monthly educational seminars at their Cheyenne, Wyoming, headquarters and annually trains interested citizens in civic involvement, First Amendment issues, and other relevant citizenship knowledge.

Personnel

Principal staff include:[12]

Funding

Wyoming Liberty Group is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization which is funded by donations from private individuals, corporations and charitable foundations. The organization does not receive government funds. As a 501(c)(3), Wyoming Liberty Group is not required to disclose its donors and donations to the foundation are tax-deductible.

References

  1. ↑ "Quickview data". GuideStar. Also see "Charity Rating". Charity Navigator.
  2. ↑ Jamie Peck, Constructions of neoliberal reason, Oxford University Press, 2010, p. 175
  3. 1 2 3 Official website, who we are
  4. ↑ Morton, Tom (2010-06-20). "Beware government growth, liberty group says". Star-Tribune. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  5. ↑ Ruffin Prevost, 'Wyoming stimulus spending draws mixed reviews', in Billings Gazette, September 14, 2011
  6. ↑ http://wyliberty.org/feature/amendment-a-wielding-a-health-freedom-battle-axe/#ff_s=r7mA2
  7. ↑ http://wyliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/LB006-RS2477.pdf
  8. ↑ http://wyliberty.org/legal-center/citizens-united-v-fec-1/#ff_s=r7mA2
  9. ↑ http://wyliberty.org/legal-center/mccomish-v-bennett/#ff_s=r7mA2
  10. ↑ 10. http://wyliberty.org/legal-center/delay-v-texas/#ff_s=r7mA2
  11. ↑ 11. http://trib.com/news/local/beware-government-growth-liberty-group-says/article_e1de9722-0059-57b6-842c-28ac4bbda545.html
  12. ↑ http://wyliberty.org/about/staff/#ff_s=r7mA2

External links

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