.gif)
Tony Perkins (politician)
Encyclopedia
Anthony Richard "Tony" Perkins (born March 20, 1963) is president of the Family Research Council
, a conservative
Christian
think tank
and public policy foundation based in Washington, D.C.
Perkins formerly resided in Baker
in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
, when he served two terms as a Republican
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
.
in Pawnee County
in northern Oklahoma
and graduated from Cleveland High School in 1981. He went on to receive his Bachelor of Science
degree from Liberty University
in Lynchburg, Virginia
and later earned a Master of Public Administration
degree from Louisiana State University
. After college, he entered the United States Marine Corps
. Following his tour of duty, he entered the law enforcement arena, working for the Baton Rouge city police
. During this time, he also worked with the U.S. State Department
's Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program and instructed police officers from other countries.
After leaving the law enforcement field, Perkins worked at WBTR-TV
, an independent Baton Rouge television
station as a reporter and later as news director. He stayed there until his election to the legislature. He was elected on a "traditional" conservative platform of strong families and limited government. Four years later, he was reelected without opposition.
Perkins is married to the former Lawana Lee. He has been affiliated with the National Rifle Association
, the American Legion
, the Christian Coalition, and the Baton Rouge Rescue Mission.
s, including part of Livingston Parish) in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 21, 1995, when he defeated the Democrat
Herman L. Milton of Baker, 9,476 (63.3 percent) to 5,487 (36.7 percent). The Democrat incumbent
, Michael "Mike" McCleary, did not seek reelection. Representative Perkins thereafter authored legislation to require public schools to install Internet
filtering software, provide daily silent prayer
in Louisiana public schools, to establish the first covenant marriage
law, and to authorize the American History Preservation Act, the stated aim of which is to "prevent censorship of America's Christian heritage" in public schools.
, a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of his conservative social positions. The organization is headed by executive director Gene Mills. Retired Judge Darrell White and former state Representative and state Senator Daniel Wesley "Dan" Richey
serve as consultants to LFF.
in the 2002 Louisiana jungle primary
and received a small percent of the vote. The seat remained in Democratic
hands, as incumbent
Mary Landrieu
was reelected in the general election
against Republican Suzanne Haik Terrell
. After his primary defeat, Perkins endorsed Terrell.
of Beauregard Parish in Cain's unsuccessful challenge to fellow Republican Jim Donelon in the special election
for state insurance commissioner held on September 30.
In September, 2007, Perkins endorsed Brian P. McNabb in the House District 69 all-Republican race, linking him to Bobby Jindal
, the GOP front-runner for governor, and calling him a "fresh face with integrity". Erich Ponti
defeated McNabb in a general election runoff.
In 2009, Perkins endorsed Ken Blackwell
of Ohio
for chairman of the Republican National Committee
, but the position went to Michael Steele, former lieutenant governor
of Maryland
, who left after a single two-year term.
, a political offshoot of James Dobson
's Focus on the Family
, in September 2003. He succeeded Ken Connor, who returned to Florida
to practice law. In taking the Family Research presidency, Perkins abandoned his pending race for Louisiana state insurance
commissioner. The incumbent, Democrat J. Robert Wooley, was then reelected over Perkins' endorsed choice, Republican former legislative auditor Dan Kyle
. In 2006, Wooley resigned the position, and it was taken by his Republican first assistant, Jim Donelon
.
event organized by the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family
, along with James Dobson
and R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
, the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
in Louisville
, Kentucky
. The event was organized to mobilize the evangelical Christian base in putting pressure on Democrats to end the use of the filibuster
to block the confirmation of nominees to the federal judiciary by U.S. President George W. Bush
.
, which would define marriage as the union between one man and one woman in the United States. He has also criticized civil unions. In Perkins' own words, from a July 21, 2006, column in the publication Human Events
:
Perkins' opposition to same-sex unions is shared by his former Louisiana legislative colleague, Heulette Fontenot
, who as a state senator
in 2001 secured passage of a bill to disallow domestic partnerships in Louisiana or to recognize such relationships approved in other states.
by the Southern Poverty Law Center
. FRC President Tony Perkins dismissed the hate group designation as the result of a political attack by a "liberal organization" and "the left's smear campaign of conservatives".
While working as campaign manager for Louisiana state legislator Woody Jenkins in 1996, Tony Perkins paid former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke $82,000 for his mailing list, and then tried to hide involvement with Duke, sending payment to Duke through a third party. The campaign was fined $3,000 for trying to hide the payment.
Family Research Council
The Family Research Council is a conservative or right-wing Christian group and lobbying organization formed in the United States in 1981 by James Dobson. It was fully incorporated in 1983...
, a conservative
Conservative Christianity
Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
and public policy foundation based in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Perkins formerly resided in Baker
Baker, Louisiana
Baker is a city in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,793 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Baker is located at...
in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, when he served two terms as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
.
Early life and career
Perkins was reared in ClevelandCleveland, Oklahoma
Cleveland is a city in Pawnee County, Oklahoma, United States. The 2009 population estimate was 3,251. It is the hometown of Heisman trophy winner Billy Vessels.-History:...
in Pawnee County
Pawnee County, Oklahoma
Pawnee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 16,612. Its county seat is Pawnee.-History:The Osage Tribe used the area that contains present day Pawnee County as buffalo hunting grounds...
in northern Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and graduated from Cleveland High School in 1981. He went on to receive his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from Liberty University
Liberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
in Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
and later earned a Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
degree from Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
. After college, he entered the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. Following his tour of duty, he entered the law enforcement arena, working for the Baton Rouge city police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
. During this time, he also worked with the U.S. State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
's Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program and instructed police officers from other countries.
After leaving the law enforcement field, Perkins worked at WBTR-TV
KBTR-CA
KBTR-CA channel 41, known on-air as WBTR 41, is a television station in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The station is owned by Louisiana Television Broadcasting, the owners of WBRZ-TV. The station is seen on cable Cox Communications and AT&T U-verse....
, an independent Baton Rouge television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
station as a reporter and later as news director. He stayed there until his election to the legislature. He was elected on a "traditional" conservative platform of strong families and limited government. Four years later, he was reelected without opposition.
Perkins is married to the former Lawana Lee. He has been affiliated with the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
, the Christian Coalition, and the Baton Rouge Rescue Mission.
Louisiana House of Representatives 1996-2004
Perkins won his seat in the Louisiana House from District 64 (the eastern Baton Rouge suburbSuburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s, including part of Livingston Parish) in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 21, 1995, when he defeated the Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Herman L. Milton of Baker, 9,476 (63.3 percent) to 5,487 (36.7 percent). The Democrat incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
, Michael "Mike" McCleary, did not seek reelection. Representative Perkins thereafter authored legislation to require public schools to install Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
filtering software, provide daily silent prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
in Louisiana public schools, to establish the first covenant marriage
Covenant marriage
In some parts of the United States, a covenant marriage is a legally distinct kind of marriage, in which the marrying couple agree to obtain pre-marital counseling and accept more limited grounds for divorce...
law, and to authorize the American History Preservation Act, the stated aim of which is to "prevent censorship of America's Christian heritage" in public schools.
Louisiana Family Forum
In 1998, Perkins helped found Louisiana Family ForumLouisiana Family Forum
Louisiana Family Forum is a social conservative non-profit advocacy group based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The organization supports Louisiana's covenant marriage law and opposes abortion and same-sex marriage...
, a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of his conservative social positions. The organization is headed by executive director Gene Mills. Retired Judge Darrell White and former state Representative and state Senator Daniel Wesley "Dan" Richey
Dan Richey
Daniel Wesley "Dan" Richey is a Baton Rouge-based political consultant for "pro-family" candidates and organizations, including Louisiana Family Forum. From 1997 to 2004, Richey served under appointment of Republican Governor Murphy J...
serve as consultants to LFF.
2002 bid for U.S. Senate
Republican Perkins ran for the United States SenateUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in the 2002 Louisiana jungle primary
Jungle primary
A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party. Under this system, the top two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the next round, as in a runoff election...
and received a small percent of the vote. The seat remained in Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
hands, as incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Mary Landrieu
Mary Landrieu
Mary Loretta Landrieu is the senior United States Senator from the State of Louisiana and a member of the Democratic Party.Born in Arlington, Virginia, Landrieu was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana...
was reelected in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
against Republican Suzanne Haik Terrell
Suzanne Haik Terrell
Suzanne Haik Terrell is a Louisiana lawyer who failed in a high-profile Republican bid for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and for state attorney general in 2003. She was the state's last commissioner of elections, having served from 2000 to 2004. In 2005, President George W...
. After his primary defeat, Perkins endorsed Terrell.
Political endorsements
In 2006, Perkins endorsed Louisiana Republican state Senator James David CainJames David Cain
James David Cain, Sr. is a retired farmer and rancher from the Dry Creek community in eastern Beauregard Parish, who is a former Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate....
of Beauregard Parish in Cain's unsuccessful challenge to fellow Republican Jim Donelon in the special election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for state insurance commissioner held on September 30.
In September, 2007, Perkins endorsed Brian P. McNabb in the House District 69 all-Republican race, linking him to Bobby Jindal
Bobby Jindal
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal is the 55th and current Governor of Louisiana and formerly a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, the GOP front-runner for governor, and calling him a "fresh face with integrity". Erich Ponti
Erich Ponti
Erich Edward Ponti , a general contractor, is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 69 in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana....
defeated McNabb in a general election runoff.
In 2009, Perkins endorsed Ken Blackwell
Ken Blackwell
John Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
for chairman of the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
, but the position went to Michael Steele, former lieutenant governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, who left after a single two-year term.
Family Research Council
Perkins became the President of the conservative Christian Family Research CouncilFamily Research Council
The Family Research Council is a conservative or right-wing Christian group and lobbying organization formed in the United States in 1981 by James Dobson. It was fully incorporated in 1983...
, a political offshoot of James Dobson
James Dobson
James Clayton "Jim" Dobson, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian author, psychologist, and founder in 1977 of Focus on the Family , which he led until 2003. In the 1980s he was ranked as one of the most influential spokesman for conservative social positions in American public life...
's Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
, in September 2003. He succeeded Ken Connor, who returned to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to practice law. In taking the Family Research presidency, Perkins abandoned his pending race for Louisiana state insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
commissioner. The incumbent, Democrat J. Robert Wooley, was then reelected over Perkins' endorsed choice, Republican former legislative auditor Dan Kyle
Dan Kyle
Daniel Guin Kyle, known as Dan Kyle , is a businessman from Baton Rouge Louisiana, who served as his state's legislative auditor from 1989–2003, when he stepped down to run unsuccessfully for insurance commissioner. An active Republican, Kyle uncovered many instances of misappropriations in state...
. In 2006, Wooley resigned the position, and it was taken by his Republican first assistant, Jim Donelon
Jim Donelon
James J. "Jim" Donelon has been the Republican insurance commissioner of Louisiana since February 15, 2006.Donelon won a full-term as commissioner in the October 20, 2007 nonpartisan blanket primary. He finished with 606,534 votes and defeated three opponents, the closest of whom, Democrat Jim...
.
FRC Radio
FRC Radio is the broadcasting home of the Family Research Council. "Washington Watch Daily" is a ninety-second radio commentary by Tony Perkins featuring a conservative Christian perspective on the hottest issues of the day. The daily broadcasts, along with show archives, can be listened to on the Christian audio streaming site Lightsource.com.Justice Sunday
Perkins was one of the organizers and hosts of the 2005 Justice SundayJustice Sunday (conservative Christian event)
Justice Sunday is the term used for a series of religious conferences organized by the Family Research Council, founded by James Dobson and headed by Tony Perkins, and Dobson's Focus on the Family organizations...
event organized by the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
, along with James Dobson
James Dobson
James Clayton "Jim" Dobson, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian author, psychologist, and founder in 1977 of Focus on the Family , which he led until 2003. In the 1980s he was ranked as one of the most influential spokesman for conservative social positions in American public life...
and R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Mohler's approach to Muslims is driven by his belief in the relevance of the Christian Gospel to all people.-Media appearances:Mohler appeared on MSNBC's Donahue on August 20, 2002. The subject was Christian evangelization of Jews...
, the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , located in Louisville, Kentucky, is the oldest of the six seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention . The seminary was founded in 1859, at Greenville, South Carolina. After being closed during the Civil War, it moved in 1877 to Louisville...
in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. The event was organized to mobilize the evangelical Christian base in putting pressure on Democrats to end the use of the filibuster
Filibuster
A filibuster is a type of parliamentary procedure. Specifically, it is the right of an individual to extend debate, allowing a lone member to delay or entirely prevent a vote on a given proposal...
to block the confirmation of nominees to the federal judiciary by U.S. President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
Views on same sex marriage
Perkins has urged Congress to pass the Federal Marriage AmendmentFederal Marriage Amendment
The Federal Marriage Amendment H.J. Res. 56 was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution which would have limited marriage in the United States to unions of one man and one woman...
, which would define marriage as the union between one man and one woman in the United States. He has also criticized civil unions. In Perkins' own words, from a July 21, 2006, column in the publication Human Events
Human Events
Human Events is a weekly American conservative magazine. It takes its name from the first sentence of the United States Declaration of Independence...
:
The definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman is rooted in the order of nature itself. It promotes the continuation of the human race and the cooperation of a mother and a father in raising the children they produce. This union can only be protected through amending the United States ConstitutionUnited States ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. If it's not, activists will continue using the courts to sell a five-legged dog. But as we say where I'm from in Louisiana, 'that dog won't hunt.'
Perkins' opposition to same-sex unions is shared by his former Louisiana legislative colleague, Heulette Fontenot
Heulette Fontenot
Heulette Clovance Fontenot, Jr., known as Clo Fontenot , is a Livingston, Louisiana, businessman who served as a Republican member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature between 1996 and 2008. He was a one-term member of the House of Representatives from 1996 to 2000 and served two terms...
, who as a state senator
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
in 2001 secured passage of a bill to disallow domestic partnerships in Louisiana or to recognize such relationships approved in other states.
Controversy
In 2010, the Family Research Council—under Perkins' leadership—was classified as a hate groupHate group
A hate group is an organized group or movement that advocates and practices hatred, hostility, or violence towards members of a race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or other designated sector of society...
by the Southern Poverty Law Center
Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is an American nonprofit civil rights organization noted for its legal victories against white supremacist groups; legal representation for victims of hate groups; monitoring of alleged hate groups, militias and extremist organizations; and educational programs that...
. FRC President Tony Perkins dismissed the hate group designation as the result of a political attack by a "liberal organization" and "the left's smear campaign of conservatives".
While working as campaign manager for Louisiana state legislator Woody Jenkins in 1996, Tony Perkins paid former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke $82,000 for his mailing list, and then tried to hide involvement with Duke, sending payment to Duke through a third party. The campaign was fined $3,000 for trying to hide the payment.
External links
- President's website at Family Research Council
- Louisiana Family Forum's website
- The Family Research Council's Tony Perkins is a rising star in a crowded universe of evangelical Christian leaders (Bill Berkowitz, on mediatransparency.com, June 17, 2005)
- People for the American Way: Family Research Council
- http://www.enlou.com/officeholders/housedistrict64.htm
- Perkins, Tony. "Congress Fails Americans on Marriage."