Buffeted by the recession and the Bernard Madoff scandal, the American Civil Liberties Union has laid off 10 percent of its staff members nationwide and introduced other cost-cutting measures, The Washington Post reports.

ACLU’s executive director, Anthony D. Romero, cited reduced donations and grants, including money from two foundations that were “wiped out” by their Madoff investments.

NARAL Pro-Choice America also confirmed staff cuts to the Post’s political blog 44. Ted Miller, the abortion-rights group’s communications director, declined to specify the level of layoffs.

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