WASHINGTON, DC – A new report from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) details the huge spending of the Roman Catholic Church in the four states where marriage equality appears on the November ballot. According to HRC, at least $1.1 million has been spent against marriage equality by Church-affiliated groups on the ballot measures in Minnesota, Maryland, Maine and Washington state (see related story, inside BOX).

The report states that in Minnesota alone, Roman Catholic dioceses from across the country have funneled more than $180,000 into promoting the anti-same-sex marriage message. And over $640,000 has been donated by the Knights of Columbus. Founded in 1882, the New Haven, Connecticut-based group named after Christopher Columbus is the world’s largest Catholic fraternal service organization.