In a Colorado Republican legislative primary in June 2012, the engagement photo of Brian Edwards and Tom Privitere was used in an attack mailer against State Senator Jean White, who supported a civil union bill that was blocked in the State House.

The original photo of the couple kissing with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background, was used without permission, with the image of the couple kissing inserted into a mailer with a changed background depicting Colorado, that read "State Senator Jean White's Idea of 'Family Values'". White lost the election.

The couple and the photographer, Kristina Hill, are suing the creaters of the ad, Public Advocates of the US, in Federal court for unauthorized use of copyrighted material.