The public policy
arm of the antigay conservative Christian organization
Focus on the Family raised nearly $9 million in its first
six months of existence--the equivalent of $50,000 a
day, according to records reviewed by The Denver Post. Focus on the Family is a nonprofit organization
based in Colorado Springs, Colo. The ministry focuses
on promoting evangelical Christian teachings on
marriage and child rearing through radio programs,
publications, and telephone help. Because such organizations
are barred from supporting or opposing political
candidates, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson
last year founded Focus Action to address public
policy concerns. Similar groups include AARP and the
National Rifle Association. Focus Action's first federal income tax forms
illustrate Focus Action's popularity from its
inception in April 2004 through last September. It
took in $8.8 million, all from individuals. The records show
152 donors contributed at least $5,000 for a total of
$2.4 million, so the majority of gifts were relatively small. Of the total, Focus Action said it spent nearly
$2 million distributing newsletters, e-mails, and
articles to involve people in issues such as same-sex
marriage, the role of judges, and "the protection of human
life." Nearly $900,000 was spent on radio broadcasts on
legislative and public-policy issues, and about the
same amount on rallies urging Christians to vote in
North Carolina, Louisiana, and South Dakota, which all
had close Senate races. Last October, Focus Action also spent $256,025
to mail letters offering Dobson's endorsement of
conservative GOP Senate candidates in four states: Mel
Martinez in Florida, James DeMint in South Carolina, Thomas
Coburn in Oklahoma, and John Thune in South Dakota. All four
won. Tom Minnery, vice president of public policy for
Focus Action, said that in April and May, the
organization also spent $1.2 million on the Senate
filibuster debate. Focus Action is now looking at efforts to revive
a proposed Federal Marriage Amendment, which would
amend the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex
marriage, and to influence the selection of judges to
fill potential Supreme Court vacancies, Minnery said. (AP)