Charity website sued over hate group labels on nonprofits

Newport News, Va. (AP) — A Florida-based legal advocacy organization is suing over a "hate group" label that it and other nonprofits received on a website that maintains a database of information about U.S. charities.

Liberty Counsel Inc. filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against GuideStar USA Inc. in Newport News, Virginia.

GuideStar flagged 46 nonprofits, including Liberty Counsel, for being labeled as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Liberty Counsel's suit claims that label is slanderous and has damaged its reputation.

GuideStar announced last Friday that it would remove the labels after threats directed at its staff.

Liberty Counsel bills itself as a legal defense organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom and preserving family values from a "Christian and Biblical perspective." The law center has called it an "anti-LGBT hate group."

Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

The Gayly – June 29, 2017 @ 5:20 p.m.