Civitas Institute

Civitas was incorporated on March 9, 2005.{{cite web |url=https://www.secretary.state.nc.us/corporations/Corp.aspx?PitemId=7709930 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130703184818/https://www.secretary.state.nc.us/corporations/Corp.aspx?PitemId=7709930 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-07-03 |title=North Carolina Secretary of State |publisher=Secretary.state.nc.us |date= |accessdate=2013-07-03 }}

Initial members of the board of directors included the first president of the organization, R. Jack Hawke; businessman Robert Luddy; and Art Pope, a businessman, political figure and philanthropist.artpope.com Pope resigned from the Civitas board in December 2012 to serve as Deputy Budget Director in the administration of Governor Pat McCrory.{{cite web|url=http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/mccrory_picks_3_more_cabinet_members_3_more_staffers_art_pope_kieran_shanahan_among_them |title=McCrory picks 3 more cabinet members + 3 more staffers: Art Pope, Kieran Shanahan among them | Under The Dome |publisher=Projects.newsobserver.com |date=2012-12-20 |accessdate=2013-07-03}}

The organization's name honors Art Pope's father, John William Pope, also a businessman and conservative philanthropist.{{cite web |url=http://www.freeenterpriseheroes.org/heroes/pope.aspx |title=John W. Pope |publisher=Free Enterprise Heroes |accessdate=2013-07-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930025530/http://www.freeenterpriseheroes.org/heroes/pope.aspx |archive-date=2012-09-30 |url-status=dead }}

In late 2012, Civitas commissioned a study on the effects of lowering or eliminating state income taxes.{{cite web|url=http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/North_Carolina_Republicans_consider_ending_income_tax |title=North Carolina Republicans consider ending income tax |publisher=Ballotpedia |date= |accessdate=2013-07-03}} In July 2013, the legislature passed and the governor signed into law lower corporate and personal income tax rates.{{cite web|url=http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/opinions-vary-nc-legislatures-tax-reform/nY2Fz/|title=Opinions vary on NC legislature|publisher=WSOC-TV|accessdate=2014-01-31}}{{cite web|last=Jenkins |first=Dale |url=http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/06/14/2964198/bergers-right-move-on-nc-tax-reform.html |title=Berger's right move on NC tax reform | Other Views |publisher=NewsObserver.com |date=2013-06-14 |accessdate=2013-07-03}} The organization has also called for elimination of North Carolina's state corporate income tax.Donald Dryson & Brian Balfour, [https://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article224310365.html A better incentive? End NC's corporate income tax], News & Observer (January 12, 2019).

A Civitas study of the State Board of Elections led Civitas to call on top state officials for an investigation of the board and its ties to a lobbyist.{{cite web|url=http://projects.newsobserver.com/node/27736 |title=Civitas requests investigations of state elections agency | Under The Dome |publisher=Projects.newsobserver.com |date=2013-06-04 |accessdate=2013-07-03}}

In 2013, Civitas launched a website to attack the Affordable Care Act, portraying the health care reform legislation as an assault by elites against middle-class North Carolinians.John Murawski, [https://www.newsobserver.com/latest-news/article10281533.html Raleigh's Civitas Institute launches conservative website to attack the Affordable Care Act], News & Observer (October 22, 2013).

Civitas has repeatedly sued the State of North Carolina over the same-day voter registration process, which Civitas opposes.Richard Craver, [https://www.journalnow.com/news/elections/civitas-renews-same-day-registration-challenge-over-nc-election-results/article_40d8c9ce-5996-5bda-b3fd-f7ae5c2b088c.html Civitas renews same-day registration challenge over NC election results], Winston-Salem Journal (January 1, 2017).Colin Campbell & Lynn Bonner, [https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article116403158.html Civitas sues to stop final NC vote count, cites concerns about same-day registration], Charlotte Observer (November 23, 2016). A suit filed by Civitas seeking to halt the final count of votes in the 2016 North Carolina gubernatorial election was dismissed in December 2016, but the organization subsequently renewed its litigation.

Civitas commissions live-caller opinion polling of North Carolina voters.{{cite press release|url=http://beaufortcountynow.com/post/7692/civitas-poll-nc-voters-tell-washington-hands-off-our-guns.html |title=Civitas Poll: NC Voters Tell Washington: Hands off our Guns|publisher=Civitas Institute|date=June 6, 2013}}

Civitas also advocates for increased school choice for students in North Carolina.{{Cite web|url=https://www.carolinajournal.com/news-article/new-civitas-poll-shows-north-carolina-voters-back-school-choice/|title=New Civitas Poll shows North Carolina voters back school choice|website=Carolina Journal|date=23 January 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-24}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.politifact.com/north-carolina/statements/2019/feb/05/civitas-institute/civitas-institute-mostly-correct-school-choice-wai/|title=Fact checking Civitas Institute on school choice waitlists|website=@politifact|language=en|access-date=2019-10-24}}

The annual Conservative Leadership Conference offers conservative speakers and workshops on relevant issues. CLC speakers have included Charles Krauthammer, Arthur C. Brooks, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Barnes, Stephen Moore, Elizabeth Dole, Michael Barone, Bob Novak, Grover Norquist, and others.{{cite web|url=http://clc2014.com |title=Conservative Leadership Conference |publisher=Clc2014.com |date= |accessdate=2013-07-03}} The 2013 CLC featured speakers such as U.S. Senator Ron Johnson,{{cite web|author= |url=http://triad.news14.com/content/top_stories/690869/hundreds-gather-for-conservative-leadership-conference |title=Hundreds gather for Conservative Leadership Conference - News14.com |publisher=Triad.news14.com |date= |accessdate=2013-07-03}} Michelle Malkin,{{cite web|author= |url=http://coastal.news14.com/content/690699/web-exclusive--michelle-malkin |title=Web Exclusive: Michelle Malkin - News14.com |publisher=Coastal.news14.com |date= |accessdate=2013-07-03}} former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, former U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, U.S. Reps. Renee Ellmers and George Holding, talk-show host Jason Lewis, The Heritage Foundation's former president Edwin Feulner, and Lt. Gov. Dan Forest.{{cite web|url=http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/02/2720736/nc-conservatives-gather-to-talk.html#storylink=misearch|title=RALEIGH: N.C. conservatives gather to talk strategy | Politics | NewsObserver.com|publisher=newsobserver.com|accessdate=2014-01-31}}

Civitas hosts a monthly lunch series to announce poll findings and offer commentary on issues.{{cite web |url=http://www.wwaytv3.com/2011/04/12/civitas-institute-meeting-held-to-educate-citizens |title=Civitas Institute meeting held to educate citizens | WWAY NewsChannel 3 | Wilmington NC News |publisher=Wwaytv3.com |accessdate=2013-07-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730032045/http://www.wwaytv3.com/2011/04/12/civitas-institute-meeting-held-to-educate-citizens |archive-date=2013-07-30 |url-status=dead }}

The Civitas Institute publishes a monthly newspaper, the Civitas Capitol Connection, an internet magazine, the Civitas Review and the Civitas Blog.{{cite web|url=http://www.nccivitas.org/category/publications/civitasreview/ |title=Civitas Review Archives - Civitas Institute |publisher=Nccivitas.org |date= |accessdate=2013-07-03}}{{cite web|last=Staff |first=Civitas |url=http://www.civitasreview.com/ |title=North Carolina's Conservative Voice |publisher=Civitas Review |date= |accessdate=2013-07-03}}

The Civitas Institute has published a number of pieces online critical of the Moral Mondays protests.{{Cite web

| title = RALEIGH: NC lawmakers go home, but 'Moral Monday' protesters will return

| accessdate = 2013-08-01

| url = http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/28/3065359/moral-mondays-not-over-yet.html

}} In one article, William Barber Rakes in Taxpayer Dollars Leads Moral (no it is) Money Mondays! the Civitas Institute criticized Rev. William Barber, head of the state's NAACP, because a non-profit overseen by Barber's church received federal support. Barber responded, stating "People know I'm a volunteer, even with the NAACP. Other work I do, I volunteer. I am a pastor."{{Cite web

| title = Does NAACP president profit from Moral Monday?

| access-date = 2013-08-01

| url = https://abc11.com/archive/9163619/

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130715061742/http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=9163619

| archive-date = 2013-07-15

| url-status = live

}}

The Civitas Institute also released a web page which compiles data on protestors arrested in the course of the civil disobedience actions, which includes demographic information and comments on their voter registration status.{{Cite web

| title = The Moral Monday Protesters - Civitas Institute

| work = Civitas Institute

| accessdate = 2013-08-01

| url = http://www.nccivitas.org/moralmonday/

}}

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Category:Politics of North Carolina

Category:Non-profit organizations based in North Carolina

Category:Political and economic think tanks in the United States

Category:Conservative organizations in the United States