Most of the principal attorneys at the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana have submitted resignation letters, citing a new leader’s pro-Palestinian comments and activist approach to legal cases.
The organization confirmed Friday that legal director Kenneth J. Falk, deputy legal director Gavin Rose, senior staff attorney Stevie Pactor and staff attorney Josh Bleisch have announced their pending departures from the civil liberties advocacy group. That’s four out of the group’s five principal attorneys.
The group’s board of directors also confirmed in a statement to The Washington Times that it fired another staff member “for cause,” but declined to name the person.
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“The board has hired an outside HR firm to conduct an independent review of conflicting reports from some staff, including rumors, unsubstantiated accusations against the incoming executive director, and long-standing complaints about workplace culture,” the statement said.
The Indianapolis Star reported Thursday that staffers filed human resources complaints against incoming Executive Director Nikkita Oliver earlier this year.
Staffers reportedly accused Oliver – a former Seattle activist and attorney who uses “they/them” pronouns – of questioning the objectivity of Jewish attorneys and calling the organization’s view of free speech “too pure.”
Reports also say that Ms. Pactor accused Oliver, who has posted vocal criticisms of Israel on social media, of pledging to turn the conservative state “light red.”
She said that could violate the nonpartisan group’s tax-exempt status.
Oliver told the Star in a statement that the complaints relied on mischaracterizations and false allegations.
As of Friday, Oliver’s social media accounts were restricted to allow only approved followers to view past posts.
The ACLU is a national network of left-leaning civil liberties state chapters. Attorneys from its Indiana affiliate have argued in court against the state’s near-total abortion ban and a Republican-led effort to erect a Ten Commandments monument in the Statehouse.
The group’s board reiterated support for Oliver and pledged to hire an interim legal director in its statement to The Times.
“While Nikkita is trained in movement lawyering, what they are tasked with implementing is a strategy that brings the power of all departments at the ACLU of Indiana together,” the statement read. “Nationally, this is known as integrated advocacy and is a best practice amongst ACLU affiliates.”
The board named Oliver as a finalist for executive director in May.
Indianapolis PBS affiliate WFYI reported Friday that Oliver’s start has been delayed while the board completes an independent HR review that started in mid-September.
The board said it has commissioned a third-party firm to audit the organization’s general workplace culture.
The board said it is still working out when the submitted resignations will take effect. Various reports have indicated that some employees could leave as early as the end of this month and others as late as February.
Four of the board’s 20 members have reportedly departed in recent months, including a pastor, two lawyers and a nonprofit leader.
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