Legal counsel for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Evangelicals for Harris following the political action committee's launch of a $1 million ad campaign last month that features footage of the late Rev. Billy Graham to criticize former President Donald Trump.
A spokesperson for the nonprofit organization based in Charlotte, North Carolina, stated to The Christian Post that there is a possibility of filing a lawsuit against Evangelicals for Harris for alleged copyright infringement.
Evangelicals for Harris has used ads featuring decades-old sermons from Billy Graham, implying that Trump is not a suitable candidate that Christians should support. In their latest ad titled "Keep Clear," the PAC referenced a 1988 sermon from Graham on 2 Timothy 3:1-5, suggesting that Trump exhibits the character of evil men in the last days.
The BGEA spokesperson indicated that Graham, who passed away in 2018 and later expressed regret for his political involvement, would have been offended to see his sermons, which proclaim the gospel, used to criticize a presidential candidate.
"It may be worth noting that, in all of his years of ministry and across relationships with 11 U.S. presidents, Billy Graham sought only to encourage them and to offer them the counsel of Christ, as revealed through God's Word. He never criticized presidents publicly and would undoubtedly refuse to let his sermons be used to do so, regardless of who is involved," the spokesperson stated.
In response to the cease-and-desist letter, Evangelicals for Harris issued a legal rebuttal asserting that the "limited use of Billy Graham’s speech falls squarely within the fair use protections afforded by Section 107 of the Copyright Act." The PAC also published a series of posts on X, claiming that Franklin Graham aims to "silence" them because he is "scared" of their advertisements.
Franklin Graham, the eldest son of the late evangelist and president of the BGEA and Samaritan's Purse, has been an outspoken advocate for Trump’s policies and has asserted that Trump was the last presidential candidate his father voted for. Following the release of their first ad featuring his father in August, Graham took to X to criticize the ad, stating that it is "trying to mislead people."
Evangelicals for Harris released a comprehensive statement on Tuesday that accused Franklin Graham of idolatry.
The organization emphasized, "Our call is to serve, to witness Christ's love and compassion, and to follow His example of standing between the hypocritical religious leaders and the social outcast. We know the law is on our side in this case. If Franklin follows through on his threats, we'll see him in court."
