John:
This month, IJ filed our 400th case!
Since IJ opened our doors 32 years ago, we’ve successfully defended casket-selling monks in Louisiana, trade-school teachers in California, parents in Maine, and many more everyday Americans. We’ve helped return more than $21 million in wrongfully forfeited property, saved more than 20,000 homes and businesses from the government’s wrecking ball, and rolled back burdensome regulations in 44 mostly working-class occupations.
And we’re growing faster than ever in terms of cases and impact—fully a quarter of our 400 cases were launched in just the last three years.
Our 400th case is part of our economic liberty work helping people secure fresh starts after past mistakes. Altimont Mark Wilks, owner of two corner stores in Maryland, wants to effectively serve his community and compete in the local market, but can’t due to 19-year-old drug-related convictions. That’s because of a USDA policy that permanently forbids people with certain convictions from ever being able to accept SNAP benefits as payment from low-income customers—even when the convictions, like Altimont’s, are old and unrelated to fraud.
Governments Permanently Punish People for Old Crimes 0-20 screenshot (1) ([link removed] )
Click to learn more about Altimont’s case and IJ’s work fighting for second chances.
Altimont turned his life around after his release and has become a pillar of his community, working with others in Maryland to help reintegrate people after prison and donating meals to those in need during the holidays. He—and his customers—shouldn’t be punished forever due to past mistakes.
Please consider becoming an IJ donor and helping us to take on ever more cases, projects, and campaigns. ([link removed] ) Together, we will make America a more free and just country for all.
Scott
Scott G. Bullock
President and Chief Counsel
Institute for Justice
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