Public Advocate of the United States is an organization founded in either 1978 or 1981 (disputed) ^{[4] [5]} by Eugene Delgaudio. It advocates religious conservative policies in American politics. ^[1] The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated the organization as a hate group for its anti-gay activism. ^[6]

Platform

The organization's platform includes: ^[1]

• A federal traditional marriage (man-woman) amendment to the Constitution to defend traditional marriage from assaults from those who claim to promote "same sex marriage";
• School prayer and the freedom of religious expression in public places;
• Faith-based and community initiatives;
• Pro-life legislation;
• The promotion and protection of the Boy Scouts, organized sports and other activities that reinforce morality, accountability and leadership in our youth;
• Tax cuts, reduction in spending by the federal government and the exposure of wasteful "pork barrel" spending for the benefit of liberal special interests or for social engineering for worse;
• Equality under the law, without regard to color, race, creed, sex or religious beliefs.

Principals

• Eugene Delgaudio, founder and President
• Mark Clayton, Vice President and 2012 Tennessee Democratic Party nominee for U.S. Senate ^{[7] [8]}

In 2005, Delgadio said that he was the only full-time employee of the organization. ^[9] On its 2010 tax form, Public Advocate reported $1.07 million in total revenue, and that it paid $158,682 to Eugene Delgaudio & Associates, as an independent contractor. ^[10]

Anti-gay activism

In early 2012, the organization was designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), on the basis of its anti-gay activism. ^[6]

In September 2012, the SPLC sued Public Advocate in Denver, Colorado, federal court over a mailer sent to some Colorado primary voters in 2010. The SPLC's client was a gay couple who were married in a civil ceremony in Connecticut. The mailer included a modified version of the couple's engagement photo, taken of them kissing with the Brooklyn Bridge as a backdrop. The photo had been copied without permission from the couple's blog and edited to appear as if they were kissing with snow-covered pine trees surrounding them, with bold words on a red background saying "State Senator Jean White's idea of "Family Values?"." ^[11] In April 2014, a judge ruled that Public Advocate had not legally misappropriated the image, but that there was a plausible copyright infringement; in June 2014, the parties settled, with the photographer paid $2,501.

In March 2014, Public Advocate's attorney submitted a subpoena request seeking detailed information from the SPLC about the criteria, research, and decision process that was used to issue the "hate group" designation. ^[12]

See also

• List of organizations designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as anti-gay hate groups

References

External links

• Public Advocate USA official site