Family Research Council
The Family Research Council (FRC) is a Christian Right activist organization in Washington, D.C. that grew out of Ronald Reagan's neoconservative "pro-family" domestic agenda. FRC opposes and lobbies against access to pornography, embryonic stem-cell research, abortion, divorce, and LGBT rights (such as anti-discrimination laws, same-sex marriage, same-sex civil unions, and LGBT adoption).[1]
FRC is a designated hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.[2]
Contents
News and Controversies
Gay Escort Controversy
In May, 2010, the Miami New Times reported that on April 13, FRC co-founder George Rekers was photographed arriving at the Miami International Airport with a male escort after having taken a ten day trip to Europe. The services of Rekers' companion, identified only by the name Lucien, were found to have been advertised solely on the Web site RentBoy.com, a gay escort/masseur Web site. Lucien's profile on the site was only accessible after the viewer acknowledged he is over age 18 and clicks a button saying he is aware that the site contains "content and materials that are of a graphic and/or sexual nature."[3] Rekers claimed that the man was there to help him carry his luggage, since he had recently had surgery and was unable to carry it himself. Rekers was pushing his own luggage cart when he and Lucien were spotted at the airport. Rekers denied knowing Lucien's line of work, to which Lucien expressed his surprise. [4][5][6]
Following the April, 2010 scandal regarding Rekers being caught with a young professional male escort in Miami, the Family Research Council eliminated Rekers from the organization's history and their website at http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?c=HISTORY_ABOUT.
Opposition to Health Care Reform
On December 16, 2009, FRC held a one-hour "prayercast" to oppose health care reform. The press release promoting the event announced it would be attended by a number of Republican elected representatives who have been among the most vocal opponents of health care reform including Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), Senator Jim DeMint, (R-South Carolina) Rep. Randy Forbes, (R-Virginia) and Rep. Michele Bachmann, (R-Minnesota).[7]
James Dobson of Focus on the Family, speaking at the prayercast, referred to President Obama as the “Evil One,“ saying "I just pray that you will frustrate the plans of the Evil One and revive us again with conviction and forgiveness,” said Dobson. Pastor Jim Garlow of Skyline Church in San Diego, California made the case that the proposed health care reform bill violated nearly all Ten Commandments. [8] Bachmann led the group in a prayer asking for forgiveness of governmental leaders who have not looked to God in crafting healthcare reform legislation.[9]
History
According to the organization's website, "the Family Research Council (FRC) champions marriage and family as the foundation of civilization, the seedbed of virtue, and the wellspring of society. FRC shapes public debate and formulate public policy that values human life and upholds the institutions of marriage and the family. Believing that God is the author of life, liberty, and the family, FRC promotes the Judeo-Christian worldview as the basis for a just, free, and stable society."
"The idea of the Family Research Council originated at the 1980 White House Conference on Families. Among the conferees, James Dobson stood out because of his rare combination of Christian social values and academic and professional credentials. A practicing clinical psychologist and noted author, Dobson had recently transitioned into radio broadcasting and also launched a nonprofit, family service organization. He felt that the time was ripe to establish an organization that would drive the national debate on family issues. In 1983, the Family Research Council incorporated as a nonprofit educational institution in the District of Columbia; its founding board included Dobson and two noted psychiatrists, Armand Nicholoi. Jr. of Harvard University and George Rekers of the University of South Carolina," it states.
"Under the leadership of Gerry Regier, a former Reagan Administration official at the Department of Health and Human Services, FRC began to link policy makers with researchers and professionals from a variety of disciplines. Gary Bauer, a domestic policy advisor to President Reagan, succeeded Regier in 1988 and by the mid-1990s the organization had grown into a $10 million operation with a nationwide network of support...", it states.[10]
The FRC is associated with James Dobson's Focus on the Family and William J. Bennett.
| Documents Contained at the Anti-Environmental Archives |
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Documents written by or referencing this person or organization are contained in the Anti-Environmental Archive, launched by Greenpeace on Earth Day, 2015. The archive contains 3,500 documents, some 27,000 pages, covering 350 organizations and individuals. The current archive includes mainly documents collected in the late 1980s through the early 2000s by The Clearinghouse on Environmental Advocacy and Research (CLEAR), an organization that tracked the rise of the so called "Wise Use" movement in the 1990s during the Clinton presidency. Access the index to the Anti-Environmental Archives here.
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State Family Policy Councils
As of February 2022:[11]
- Alabama Policy Institute
- Alaska Family Council
- Center for Arizona Policy
- Arkansas Family Council
- California Family Council
- Colorado Family Action Foundation
- Family Institute of Connecticut
- Delaware Family Policy Council
- Florida Family Policy Council
- Frontline Policy Council (GA)
- Hawaii Family Forum
- Idaho Family Policy Center
- Indiana Family Institute
- The Family Leader of Iowa
- Kansas Family Voice
- The Family Foundation of Kentucky
- Louisiana Family Forum
- Christian Civic League of Maine
- Massachusetts Family Institute
- Michigan Family Forum
- Minnesota Family Institute
- Montana Family Foundation
- Nebraska Family Alliance
- Cornerstone Action (NH)
- New Yorkers Family Research Foundation
- North Carolina Family Policy Council
- Center for Christian Virtue (OH)
- Pennsylvania Family Institute
- Palmetto Family Council of South Carolina
- Family Heritage Alliance (SD)
- Family Action Council of Tennessee
- Texas Values
- The Family Foundation of Virginia
- Family Policy Institute of Washington
- Family Policy Council of West Virginia
- Wisconsin Family Council, Inc.
Ties to the Council for National Policy
FRC has provided funding to the Council for National Policy.
| Council for National Policy |
|---|
The Council for National Policy (CNP) is a secretive, Christian Right organization of funders and activists founded in 1981 by activist Morton Blackwell, commentator Paul Weyrich, direct-mail pioneer Richard Viguerie, right-wing activist Phyllis Schlafly and Left Behind author Tim LaHaye. Anne Nelson's book about CNP, Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right, describes how the organization connects "the manpower and media of the Christian right with the finances of Western plutocrats and the strategy of right-wing Republican political operatives.” CNP membership as of September 2020 is available here. |
Funding
FRA not required to disclose their funders. Major funders of FRA, however, can be found through a search of publicly available IRS 990 filings. Here are the known funders:
- Bradley Foundation: $470,000 (1998-2016)
- Donors Capital Fund: $150,000 (2010)
- Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation: $1,510,000 (2015-2019)
Core Financials
2019[12]
- Total Revenue: $17,890,303
- Total Expenses: $17,572,783
- Net Assets: $5,619,502
Grants Distributed
- Family Faith and Freedom Foundation: $165,000
2018[13]
- Total Revenue: $17,403,327
- Total Expenses: $17,188,410
- Net Assets: $5,301,982
Grants Distributed
- Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty: $5,000
- Coalition for America: $5,000
- Family Faith and Freedom: $165,000
- National Day of Prayer Task Force: $5,000
- No Greater Love Foundation: $6,000
- Samaritan's Purse: $10,000
- Women Impacting the Nation: $15,000
2017[14]
- Total Revenue: $16,430,644
- Total Expenses: $15,543,961
- Net Assets: $5,087,065
Grants Distributed
- Family Faith and Freedom: $160,000
- David's Tent USA: $10,000
2016[15]
- Total Revenue: $16,048,141
- Total Expenses: $16,227,932
- Net Assets: $4,200,382
2015[16]
- Total Revenue: $12,065,844
- Total Expenses: $11,689,966
- Net Assets: $4,380,173
Grants Distributed
- Coalition for America: $5,500
Personnel
Staff
As of February 2022:[17]
- Tony Perkins, President
- Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William G. Boykin, Executive Vice President
- Joshua Arnold, Media Coordinator
- Joseph Backholm, Sr. Fellow for Biblical Worldview and Strategic Engagement
- Jennifer Bauwens, Director of the Center for Family Studies
- Ken Blackwell, Sr. Fellow for Human Rights and Constitutional Governance
- Suzanne Bowdey, Senior Writer
- Jared Bridges, Vice President, Brand Advancement
- Andrew Brunson, Special Advisor for Religious Freedom
- Randy Burt, Special Assistant to the President
- Kenneth Chan, Director of Communications
- Alice Chao, Communications Manager
- David Closson, Director of the Center for Biblical Worldview
- Kenyn Cureton, Vice President, Christian Resources
- Chris Curry, Director of Broadcast Relations
- Arielle Del Turco, Assistant Director, Center for Religious Liberty
- JP Duffy, Vice President, Communications
- Hannah Eichelberger, Creative Director
- Bob Fu, Sr. Fellow for International Religious Freedom
- Chris Gacek, Coalitions Senior Research Fellow
- Lela Gilbert, Senior Fellow for International Religious Freedom
- Quena Gonzalez, Senior Director of Government Affairs
- Brad Goodale, Senior Director of Development
- Alyson Gritter, Events Coordinator
- Laura Grossberndt, Editor and Manager of Strategic Policy Engagement
- Nathan Hall, Video Producer
- Dan Hart, Managing Editor for Publications
- Sharon Helton, Senior Director of Events
- Chantel Hoyt, Legislative Analyst for State and Local Affairs
- Michelle Humphreys, National Director of Development
- Scott Hurley, Vice President, Development
- Marjorie Jackson, Digital Media Specialist
- Chrysta Johnson, Assistant Director of Programs
- Katherine Beck Johnson, Research Fellow for Legal and Policy Studies
- Meg Kilgannon, Senior Fellow for Education Studies
- Macie Malone, Marketing Project Manager
- Gil Mertz, Director of Strategic Giving
- Staci Pedersen, Director of Annual Giving
- Brad Pikkaart, Vice President for Information Technology
- Nicolas Reynolds, Legislative Assistant for State and Local Affairs
- Jay Riemersma, Senior Director of Development
- Abby Ross, Digital Content Editor
- Caleb Seals, Director of Interns
- Connor Semelsberger, Director of Federal Affairs - Life and Human Dignity
- Terri Shepherd, Integrated Development Manager
- Mary Szoch, Director of the Center for Human Dignity
- Paul Tripodi, Vice President, Administration
- Mary Beth Waddell, Director of Federal Affairs - Family and Religious Liberty
- Travis Weber, Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs
- Randy Wilson, Director of Men's Ministries
Former Staff
- Chuck Donovan, Executive Vice President
- Tom McClusky, Vice President for Government Affairs
- Charmaine Yoest, Vice President for Communications
- Robert Morrison, Vice President for Academic Affairs
- Peter Sprigg, Vice President for Policy
- David Prentice, Senior Fellow for Life Sciences, Center for Human Life and Bioethics
- Patrick F. Fagan, Senior Fellow and Director for Marriage and Religion Center[18]
Board of Directors
As of June 2020:[12]
- Michele Bachmann, Chairman
- Carter Conlon, Director
- Paavo Ensio, Director
- Anne Marie Farrell, Director
- Allan Hoekstra, Director
- Paul Kepes, Director
- Tony Perkins, President & CEO
Contact Information
Family Research Council
801 G Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Phone: 800-225-4008
Website: http://www.frc.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FRCdc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/familyresearchcouncil
Articles and Resources
IRS Form 990 Filings
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
Financial Audits
June 2020
Articles
- David Armiak, ALEC Cozies Up with Designated Hate Group Promoting Anti-Abortion Policies, ExposedbyCMD, April 14, 2022.
- David Armiak, Christian Right to Redeploy Astroturf Strategy Used in Virginia to Win Midterms, ExposedbyCMD, March 2, 2022.
- David D. Kirkpatrick, "Giuliani Inspires Threat of a Third-Party Run", The New York Times, October 1, 2007.
- Bill Berkowitz, "Ken Blackwell, Ohio's defeated GOP gubernatorial candidate, lands in D.C. Despite former secretary of state's role in multiple election mishaps, he signs on with Tony Perkins," WorkingForChange, May 24, 2007.
- John Aravosis, "Religious right misleads its followers in massive email blitz about weekend peace march," AMERICAblog, February 1, 2007.
- Bill Berkowitz, "'Where's the outrage?': Another fracture in the conservative evangelical movement", Media Transparency, April 14, 2006.
- Bill Berkowitz, "The Family Research Council's Tony Perkins Is a Rising Star in a Crowded Universe of Evangelical Christian Leaders," MediaTransparency.org, July 17, 2005.
- MinistryWatch's opinion
SourceWatch Resources
References
- ↑ David James Peterson, The ‘basis for a just, free, and stable society’, Gender and Language, July 20, 2011.
- ↑ Southern Poverty Law Center, Family Research Council, SPLC, accessed February 2022.
- ↑ RentBoy.com RentBoy.com home page, accessed May 5, 2010
- ↑ Penn Bullock, Brandon K. Thorpe Christian right leader George Rekers takes vacation with "rent boy", Miami New Times, May 6, 2010
- ↑ Ria Viente Anti-gay activist George Rekers hired a gay escort, 24World News, May 5, 2010
- ↑ Alvin McEwen Anti-gay organization founder travels with a 'rentboy' Huffington Post, May 4, 2010
- ↑ J.P. Duffy, Family Research Council FRC Action to Host Live PrayerCast Tonight on Health Care Reform, Press release. 1 page. December 16, 2009
- ↑ Sue, Chattahbox Bachmann at Anti-Health Care Bill Prayercast: Leaders Deserve God’s Wrath, News blog, December 17, 2009
- ↑ Kyle, Right Wing Watch Prayercast: Bachmann and Engle Blog. Video. December 17, 2009
- ↑ History/Mission, Family Research Council, accessed March 17, 2008.
- ↑ Family Research Council, State Family Policy Councils, FRC, accessed February 2022.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Family Research Council, 2019 IRS form 990, organizational tax filing, April 22, 2021.
- ↑ Family Research Council, 2018 IRS form 990, organizational tax filing, April 20, 2020.
- ↑ Family Research Council, 2017 IRS form 990, organizational tax filing, April 12, 2019.
- ↑ Family Research Council, 2016 IRS form 990, organizational tax filing, February 03, 2018.
- ↑ Family Research Council, 2015 IRS form 990, organizational tax filing, November 03, 2016.
- ↑ Family Research Council, Staff, FRC, accessed February 2022.
- ↑ The FRC Team, Family Research Council, accessed March 17, 2008.
