The evangelical group Evangelicals for America has publicly apologized for using unauthorized footage of the late Rev. Billy Graham in political advertisements supporting Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign. The apology, issued Tuesday, follows a copyright dispute with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA).
In a social media statement, the organization, formerly known as Evangelicals for Harris, acknowledged using the clips without the BGEA’s permission. The group initially believed its actions fell under the “Fair Use” doctrine of U.S. copyright law, but the BGEA objected, citing copyright infringement and the unauthorized use of Graham’s image for political purposes.
“Our intent was not to infringe on BGEA’s copyright or to give the impression that Rev. Graham would have taken a side in publicly supporting one political candidate over another in an election, so we apologize to BGEA,” the group stated.
The dispute began after the group released several ads critical of former President Donald Trump. One prominent ad contrasted Graham’s teachings on confession with a 2015 interview in which Trump stated he was unsure if he had ever asked God for forgiveness.
The ads drew a sharp rebuke from Rev. Franklin Graham, Billy Graham’s son and the president of the BGEA. He accused the group of “trying to mislead people” and asserted that his father’s conservative views and opinions would not have changed.
After initially vowing in October to fight legal threats from the BGEA, the group reversed its position. It has since removed the advertisements and committed to not using any material from Graham or his organization in the future without explicit consent. The group expressed hope that its actions would “clarify confusion” and affirm “the value and importance of Christian dialogue.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the BGEA said, “Their apology speaks for itself, as does the original response from Franklin Graham. We are grateful for the outcome.”
Evangelicals for Harris reportedly invested over $1 million in advertising in swing states, aiming to persuade religious voters that Harris’s platform and character better reflected Christian values than Trump’s.
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