An Oregon judge
has thrown out a lawsuit brought by a gay couple who
charged that a photo taken at their wedding was used
illegally in an attack ad by a conservative group, the
New York Sun reported Monday.
Judge Reggis Walton said the antigay group,
United Seniors Association, did not violate the law
when it ran the photo without getting permission. The
photo appeared in an Internet ad in February 2005 condemning
the American Association of Retired Persons,
the newspaper reported. The ad was part of a
campaign United Seniors launched last winter to
criticize AARP for opposing President Bush's plan to change
Social Security.
"While the defendants' unauthorized use of the
plaintiffs' photograph cannot be considered the
pinnacle of decency and good taste, this court cannot
conclude that it violated Oregon civil law," the judge
wrote. The ruling reversed a temporary restraining
order he issued in March 2005 barring United Seniors
from using the image of the couple. (Advocate.com)