Right Web

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The American Conservative Union (ACU), "the nation's oldest and largest conservative grassroots lobbying organization," was founded in 1964 by William F. Buckley and several other leading right-wing figures "to effectively communicate and advance the goals and principles of conservatism through one multi-issue, umbrella organization. ACU’s statement of principles expresses the doctrine of original intent of the framers of the Constitution, traditional moral values, and a strong national defense." [1]

Although largely focused on domestic policy issues, the ACU has a long track record of supporting militarist foreign and defense policies.

During the Cold War, ACU participated in a number of hardline advocacy efforts as a member of the Coalition for Peace through Strength and actively supported rightist groups in Latin America and elsewhere, including the Nicaraguan Contras. [2]

Although some of its members were initially unenthusiastic over the George W. Bush administration's decision to invade Iraq after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the organization was generally supportive of the administration's “war on terror.”

After a Pentagon-sponsored visit to Iraq in late 2003, ACU Vice Chairman Donald Devine wrote a naively optimistic op-ed for the Washington Times in which he assured readers that the war was soon coming to an end. He wrote, "I had been opposed to United States ground forces in Iraq but was impressed that Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had insisted that the number of American troops on the ground be limited—only enough to win the war but not so many to become bogged down afterwards. … But, with the pressure from influential U.S. voices to increase troop levels substantially and to remain indefinitely until a functioning democracy could be created, I signed up for the rigors of the trip to the combat zone to learn whether the secretary's message had reached the troops. The news from Iraq is good. The end of the U.S. occupation is in sight and the military and civilian leaders are moving enthusiastically and rationally to implement the plan.” [3]

Since the election of President Barack Obama, the group has focused mainly on domestic policy, including efforts to push the Republican Party further right and contest Obama’s health care initiative and economic bailout program. This domestic focus was highlighted during the ACU’s annual Conservative Political Action Conference, which is considered one of the premier right-wing events.

A highlight of the 2009 conference, held shortly after President Obama’s inauguration, was right-wing radio pundit Rush Limbaugh’s declaration that he hoped the new president would “fail.” The audience gave Limbaugh loud ovations when he said, “This notion that I want the president to fail, this shows you the problem we've got. This is nothing more than common sense. … [Democrats] hoped George Bush failed. So what is so strange about being honest and saying I want Barack Obama to fail if his mission is to restructure and reform this country so that capitalism and individual liberty are not its foundation?" [4]

The ACU’s efforts to derail Obama administration initiatives, however, had some controversial results. In mid-July 2009, Politico reported that the group was embroiled in an ethics controversy regarding an alleged “pay-to-play” scheme. Politico secured a letter from ACU to FedEx—then at loggerheads with UPS over Obama-supported regulatory reform—offering to provide lobbying services if the company paid $2-3 million. Shortly after FedEx declined the offer, ACU’s Chairman David Keene contributed his name to a letter addressed to UPS, saying that he and his co-signatories sided with UPS on the issue. [5]

The affair, which Politico’s Mike Allen called “black-and-white proof of the longtime Washington practice known as ‘pay for play,’” [6] was swiftly downplayed by the ACU. In a press release, the group’s vice chairman, Dennis Whitfield, wrote, “David Keene's name was on a letter prepared by another organization. This was a personal decision on his part and he was not representing ACU at the time.” [7]

ACU’s board has included many influential right wing figures, including Jeffrey Bell, former head of the Manhattan Institute and a signatory of the neoconservative Project for the New American Century; Morton Blackwell, a founding member of the secretive Council for National Policy; the NRA's Wayne LaPierre; Jesse Helms; Grover Norquist, Morton Blackwell; and L. Brent Bozell III. [8]

Please note: IPS Right Web neither represents nor endorses any of the individuals or groups profiled on this site.