Dear Friend,

This past year has presented unprecedented challenges to the freedoms we cherish. Yet, amidst the turmoil, The Rutherford Institute has stood firm as a beacon of hope, defending the rights of individuals and communities across America. 

We have faced government overreach, censorship, and attacks on religious freedom with unwavering determination.

Thanks to the steadfast support of our donors, we have achieved significant victories in the courts, legislatures, and public arenas in the pursuit of our commitment to defending liberty, empowering individuals and safeguarding liberty for all.

Our achievements this year included:

Defending Constitutional Freedoms:

• Challenging Vaccine Mandates: We filed lawsuits across the country challenging mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies, arguing that they violate bodily autonomy and informed consent rights.
• Fighting Surveillance Overreach: We opposed the expansion of government surveillance technologies, advocating for strong privacy protections and challenging warrantless tracking of individuals.
• Protecting Free Speech: We defended individuals facing censorship and retaliation for expressing unpopular opinions, upholding the First Amendment right to free speech.

Championing Religious Liberty:

• Preserving Religious Expression in Public Schools: We defended students' rights to pray, wear religious symbols, and express their faith on school grounds.
• Protecting Religious Institutions: We represented churches and religious organizations facing discriminatory regulations and restrictions on their activities.
• Advocating for Conscience Rights: We supported healthcare professionals and businesses seeking exemptions from laws that compel them to violate their religious beliefs.

Empowering Parents and Students:

• Promoting Educational Choice: We advocated for policies that empower parents to choose the best educational options for their children, including school vouchers and tax-credit scholarships.
• Defending Parental Rights: We challenged government intrusion into family decisions, asserting the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children.
• Protecting Students' Rights: We addressed issues such as free speech on campus, due process in disciplinary proceedings, and protection from unreasonable searches and seizures.

Litigating for Justice:

• Fighting Police Brutality: We represented victims of excessive force and police misconduct, seeking accountability and justice.
• Challenging Qualified Immunity: We advocated for reforms to qualified immunity, which shields government officials from liability for violating constitutional rights.
• Defending Property Rights: We protected individuals from government overreach and eminent domain abuse, ensuring that property rights are respected.

As you know so well, the fight for liberty is an ongoing battle. 

That’s why, in 2025, The Rutherford Institute will continue to:

• Expand our litigation efforts: We will pursue strategic lawsuits to challenge government overreach and defend individual rights.
• Educate the public: We will produce resources and conduct outreach to inform citizens about their constitutional rights and empower them to defend their freedoms.
• Sound the alarm over threats to our freedoms: We will push back against government efforts at the national, state and local level to undermine the freedoms assured to all of us.

Stil, we can’t do any of this without our extended family of affiliate attorneys, donors, volunteers, and supporters, who make this critical work possible. 

Your generosity enables us to stand on the front lines of the fight for freedom. 

Please take a moment to show that you stand with The Rutherford Institute in our critical efforts to push back against the government’s power grabs, corruption, immorality and ongoing assaults on the Constitution. Any gifts received by midnight on December 31st will have twice the impact as part of this year’s $250,000 matching gift campaign.

Together, we will ensure that the flame of liberty burns brightly for generations to come.

For freedom,

John W. Whitehead
President  

P.S. To make a tax-deductible donation to The Rutherford Institute, click the link below, visit us online, donate using PayPal, call in your donation to 800-225-1791, or mail your donation to our headquarters at PO Box 7482, Charlottesville, VA 22906. 

We are especially in need of monthly donors right now who are willing to spread their donation out over the course of a year. To make a monthly commitment of $10, $20 or $100 or more, or a one-time donation in support of our critical efforts to keep this nation free, click the link below.

To donate via PayPal, please click below: