View source for 1851 Center for Constitutional Law

The '''1851 Center for Constitutional Law''' is a right-wing 501(c)3 nonprofit legal center based out of Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 2008 as a spin-off of the [[Buckeye Institute]], the 1851 Center is an associate member of the [[State Policy Network]] (SPN).<ref> State Policy Center, [https://spn.org/directory/ Directory], organizational website, accessed January 3, 2017.</ref>

According to the 1851 Center's website, the organization is "dedicated to protecting the constitutional rights of Ohioans from government abuse. The 1851 Center litigates constitutional issues related to property rights, voting rights, regulation, taxation, and search and seizures."<ref> 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, [http://www.ohioconstitution.org/ About], organizational website, accessed January 3, 2017.</ref> It has filed lawsuits challenging project labor agreements, prevailing wage rates, campaign finance limits and disclosure laws, health care expansion and smoking bans.

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==Ties to the Koch Brothers==
The 1851 Center for Constitutional Law is listed as a partner organization of the [[Charles Koch Institute.]]<ref> Charles Koch Institute, [https://www.charleskochinstitute.org/professional-education/partner-organizations/ Partner Organizations], organizational website, January 3, 2017.</ref>

The Center's parent organization, [[The Buckeye Institute]] received $28,281 from the [[Charles G. Koch Foundation]] between 2007 and 2009, and received $10,000 from the [[Claude R. Lambe]] Foundation in 2005.
{{Template:KochConnection}}

==State Policy Network==
1851 Center is an associate member of the [[State Policy Network]] (SPN).
{{About_SPN}}

==Ties to Big Tobacco==

The 1851 Center's parent organization, the [[Buckeye Institute]] (BIPPS) received at least $60,000 in funding from [[Philip Morris]] and other tobacco corporations in the 1990s, according to documents in the Tobacco Library -- previously secret papers unveiled as a result of government lawsuits -- analyzed by ''Progress Now'' and the ''Center for Media and Democracy'', publishers of ''SourceWatch''. According to the report, "The Buckeye Institute was considered an 'allied' organization, a resource to be used in building coalitions and advancing [the tobacco industry's] corporate interests."<ref name="report"> ProgressOhio and Center for Media and Democracy, [http://www.stinktanks.org/ohio Smoke Screen: The Buckeye Institute], organizational report, November 13, 2013.</ref> Such comprehensive documents are not available from more recent years, but [[Altria]] funding documents show that Big Tobacco is still funding BIPPS as recently as 2012 and 2009, although the amounts are not known.<ref> Altria Family of Companies, [http://www.altria.com/Responsibility/Investing-In-Communities/Documents/Grant%20Recipients.pdf 2012 Recipients of Charitable Contributions from Altria Family of Companies], corporate document, accessed November 2013.</ref><ref> Altria Family of Companies, [http://www.ansrmn.org/fckfiles/Tab1-FINAL.pdf 2009 Recipients of Charitable Contributions from Altria Family of Companies], corporate document, accessed November 2013.</ref>

In exchange, the "Buckeye Institute has compiled a record of supporting the issues important to its Big Tobacco funders," the report notes, and details many instances of this support.<ref name="report"/> The tobacco industry also funds BIPPS' parent group, SPN.

1851's executive director, Maurice Thompson, led legal efforts against Ohio’s public smoking ban, representing the bar that challenged the smoking ban in front of the Ohio Supreme Court.<ref> Cincinnati CityBeat, [http://www.citybeat.com/home/blog/13034456/ohio-supreme-court-rules-smoking-ban-constitutional Ohio Supreme Court Rules Smoking Ban Constitutional], ''Cincinnati City Beat'', May 23, 2012.</ref> 

==Funding==
The 1851 Center for Constitutional Law is not required to disclose its funders. Its major foundation funders, however, can be found through a search of the IRS filings.
*[[Citizens for Self-Governance]]: [https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Citizens_for_Self-Governance $14,000] (2011-2012)
*[[Donors Capital Fund]]: [https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=DonorsTrust_and_Donors_Capital_Fund_Grant_Recipients $185,000] (2010-2011)
*[[DonorsTrust]]: [https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=DonorsTrust_and_Donors_Capital_Fund_Grant_Recipients $185,000] (2010-2019)
*[[Roe Foundation]]: $5,000 (2015)
*[[State Policy Network]]: [https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Contributions_of_the_State_Policy_Network $20,000] (2013)

==Core Financials==
'''<big>2019</big>'''<ref name="2019 990"> 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20792192-1851-center-for-constitutional-law-2019-990 2019 IRS Form 990], Internal Revenue Service, November 09, 2020.</ref>
*Total Revenue: $378,411
*Total Expenses: $192,551
*Net Assets: $1,112,368

'''<big>2018</big>'''<ref name="2018 990"> 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6834169-1851-Center-for-Constitutional-Law-2018-990.html 2018 IRS Form 990], Internal Revenue Service, November 11, 2019.</ref>
*Total Revenue: $209,764
*Total Expenses: $183,594
*Net Assets: $926,508

'''<big>2017</big>'''<ref name="2017 990"> 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6834170-1851-Center-for-Constitutional-Law-2017-990.html 2017 IRS Form 990], Internal Revenue Service, November 12, 2018.</ref>
*Total Revenue: $182,397
*Total Expenses: $163,998
*Net Assets: $900,338

'''<big>2016</big>'''<ref name="2016 990"> 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6834171-1851-Center-for-Constitutional-Law-2016-990.html 2016 IRS Form 990], Internal Revenue Service, May 2017.</ref>
*Total Revenue: $901,799
*Total Expenses: $155,129
*Net Assets: $881,939

'''<big>2015</big>'''<ref name="2015 990"> 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, [http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2015/271/636/2015-271636436-0ce60d18-Z.pdf 2015 IRS Form 990], Internal Revenue Service, August 15, 2016.</ref>
*Total Revenue: $88,444
*Total Expenses: $142,450
*Net Assets: $135,269

'''<big>2014</big>'''<ref> 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, [http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2014/271/636/2014-271636436-0bc79b16-9.pdf 2014 IRS Form 990], Internal Revenue Service, August 13, 2015.</ref>
*Total Revenue: $102,306
*Total Expenses: $172,439
*Net Assets: $189,275

'''<big>2013</big>'''<ref name="2013 990"> 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, [http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2013/271/636/2013-271636436-0a5ee967-9.pdf 2013 IRS Form 990], Internal Revenue Service, May 19, 2014.</ref>
*Total Revenue: $146,247
*Total Expenses: $178,914
*Net Assets: $259,408

'''<big>2012</big>'''<ref name="2013 990"/>
*Total Revenue: $312,489
*Total Expenses: $194,751
*Net Assets: $292,075

==Personnel==
As of May 2021:<ref> 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, [https://ohioconstitution.org/about-us/ About Us], organizational website, accessed May 2021.</ref><br>
===Staff===
*Maurice A. Thompson, Executive Director and Founder

===Board of Directors===
*Bradley A. Smith, Chairman
*Christopher P. Finney

'''Former Directors'''
*David N. Mayer

==Contact Information==
Employer Identification Number (EIN): 27-1636436

'''1851 Center for Constitutional Law'''<br>
122 E. Main Street<br>
Columbus, Ohio 43215<br>
Phone: (614).340.9817<br>
Twitter: [https://twitter.com/1851center @1851Center]<br>
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1851-Center-for-Constitutional-Law-199915364802/<br>

==Articles and Resources==
===IRS Form 990 Filings===
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<p>2019</p>
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<p>2018</p>
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<p>2017</p>
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<p>2016</p>
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<p>2015</p>
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==References==
<references/>