Public Advocate of the United States
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| Founded | 1978 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Eugene Delgaudio |
| Type | Nonprofit 501(c)(4)[1] |
| 52-1112449 (EIN) | |
| Focus | Public education |
| Location(s) |
|
Region served | United States |
| Members | 4 |
| Revenue | $1,561,374 (2016)[3] |
| Employees | 3 |
| Website | publicadvocateusa |
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]
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]