Tony Perkins (politician)

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Anthony Richard "Tony" Perkins (born March 20, 1963) is the President of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian think-tank and public policy foundation. He is from Baker in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.

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[edit] Early life and career

Perkins, a graduate of Liberty University, entered the United States Marine Corps after graduation. 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, teaching hundreds of police officers from around the globe.

After leaving the law enforcement field, Perkins worked at a local Baton Rouge television station as a reporter and later a news director. He stayed there until his run for State House District 64 in the eastern suburbs of Baton Rouge. He won that election, campaigning on a traditional conservative platform of strong families and limited government. Four years later, he won re-election without opposition.

[edit] Louisiana House of Representatives 1996-2004

From 1996 to 2004, Perkins was a member of the East Baton Rouge delegation to the Louisiana House of Representatives, where he served as a Republican. While a member of the state House, he authored legislation to require public schools to install Internet filtering software, provide "a daily time of silent prayer in Louisiana public schools," to establish the first covenant marriage law, and to authorize the American History Preservation Act, which "prevents censorship of America's Christian heritage in Louisiana public schools." [1]

[edit] Louisiana Family Forum

In 1998, Perkins founded the Louisiana Family Forum. Former state Representative and state Senator Daniel Wesley "Dan" Richey is the Forum's chief political consultant.

[edit] 2002 bid for U. S. Senate

Republican Perkins ran for the United States Senate in the 2002 Louisiana jungle primary and received 10 percent of the vote. The seat remained in Democratic hands, as incumbent Mary Landrieu was reelected in a general election with Republican Suzanne Haik Terrell. After his primary defeat, Perkins endorsed his fellow Republican Terrell.

[edit] Family Research Council

Perkins became the President of the conservative Christian Family Research Council, a political offshoot of James Dobson's Focus on the Family in September 2003. He succeeded Ken Connor. In taking the Family Research presidency, Perkins abandoned a race for Louisiana state insurance commissioner. The incumbent, J. Robert Wooley, was then reelected over Perkins' endorsed choice, Republican former state auditor Dan Kyle.

[edit] Justice Sunday

Perkins was one of the organizers and hosts of the 2005 Justice Sunday event organized by the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family, along with James Dobson and R. Albert Mohler, Jr. 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 controversial nominees to the federal judiciary by President George W. Bush.

[edit] Opposition to legal partnerships for gay couples

Perkins has urged Congress to pass the Federal Marriage Amendment which would ban same-sex marriage throughout the United States. He has also criticized civil unions. [1] In Perkins' own words, from a July 21, 2006, column in the publication Human Events:

"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 U.S. Constitution. 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.'"

[edit] Ties to white supremacist groups

Perkins has come under fire from various organizations (primarily on the left) for appearing as a speaker at the Louisiana chapter of the Council of Conservative Citizens, one of the United States' most prominent white supremacist organizations, in 2002. [2]

The Nation claims that in 1996 Perkins paid former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke $82,000 for his mailing list. At the time, Perkins was the campaign manager for a Republican candidate for the US Senate in Louisiana. The Federal Election Commission fined the campaign Perkins ran $3,000 for attempting to hide the money paid to Duke."[2]

The Family Research Council says Blumenthal's claims are false. They say Duke's "connection was not known to Mr. Perkins until 1999. Mr. Perkins profoundly opposes the racial views of Mr. Duke and was profoundly grieved to learn that Duke was a party to the company that had done work for the 1996 campaign."[3]

[edit] Media appearances

Perkins' biography page on the Family Research Council website lists the following media appearances:

  • FOX's "Special Report with Brit Hume"
  • FOX's "O'Reilly Factor" - Monday, June 27, 2005 @ 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. (ET)
  • FOX's "Hannity and Colmes"
  • MSNBC's "Scarborough Country"
  • MSNBC's "Hardball" - Tuesday, June 28, 2005 @ 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. (ET)
  • ABC's "Good Morning America"
  • NBC's "Today Show"
  • NBC's "Nightly News"
  • NBC's "Dateline"
  • CBS's "The Early Show"
  • CBS's "Evening News"
  • CNN's "Crossfire" - Wednesday, March 30, 2005 @ 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. (ET)

[edit] Stated views

[edit] Gay marriage

When the people are given a voice on this important issue, accountable judges cannot help but acknowledge the will of the people and the rule of law. The people of Oregon have clearly supported marriage as a sacred institution, and one in which same-sex couples are not able to participate. New York Times, April 14, 2004, "Oregon's Supreme Court Rules Gay Marriages Null and Void."[3]

[edit] External links

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