Former ACLU head blasts organization he turned into a 'powerhouse' for failing to defend free speech by only taking cases that don't offend or threaten other civil liberties

 The former head of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) blasted the organization for failing to defend free speech by cherry-picking cases that don't offend or threaten other civil liberties. 

Ira Glasser, who served as executive director of the ACLU from 1978 to 2001, said the organization that has defended free speech by unsavory groups like Neo-Nazis has turned into a 'partisan progressive' group.

'Before they're going to defend your free speech, they want to see what you say,' said Glasser during an appearance on Friday's episode of 'Real Time' with Bill Maher. 'What is the ACLU doing saying that?' 

Glasser told Maher that the organization produced new guidelines a couple of years ago 'for their lawyers to use when deciding what free speech cases to take.'

'This is a requirement now for the national ACLU employers, that before they take a case defending someone’s free speech they have to make sure that the speech doesn’t offend or threaten other civil liberties values.'

Ira Glasser, former head of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) appeared on 'Real Time' with Bill Maher last week and blasted the organization for failing to defend free speech by only taking cases that don't offend or threaten other civil liberties

Glasser, who is credited for turning the ACLU into a powerhouse during his 23-year reign, told Maher the organization was failing to live up to its values.

He said the organization has become more of a political partisan, a 'progressive organization' - adding that organizations have a right to change. 

'The problem is, there isn't another ACLU,' he pointed out. 'And if there isn't somebody who's prepared to defend what you say... then the government gets to decide who can speak and that's the most dangerous thing of all.' 

On the show, Maher said the ACLU used to be a stalwart defender of free speech and civil liberties, referencing a time where Glasser famously defended the right for a group of Neo-Nazis to march in Skokie, Illinois in 1977.

'I'm guessing the Nazis did not reflect your values,' he said to Glasser.  

'That's a good guess,' Glasser responded. 'Actually, most of the speech we defended did not reflect our values. That's the point.'

On the show, Maher said the ACLU used to be a stalwart defender of free speech and civil liberties, referencing a time where Glasser famously defended the right for a group of Neo-Nazis to march in Skokie, Illinois in 1977